by Tao Wong
1 (Ice)
Shrunken Footsteps
1
Analyze
2
Harden
2
Quantum Lock
3
Elastic Skin
3
Disengage Safeties
2
Temporary Forced Link
1
Hyperspace Nitro Boost
1
On the Edge
1
Fates Thread
2
Combat Spells
Improved Minor Healing (IV)
Greater Regeneration (II)
Greater Healing (II)
Mana Drip (II)
Improved Mana Missile (IV)
Enhanced Lightning Strike (III)
Firestorm
Polar Zone
Freezing Blade
Improved Inferno Strike (II)
Elemental Walls (Fire, Ice, Earth, etc.)
Ice Blast
Icestorm
Improved Invisibility
Improved Mana Cage
Improved Flight
Haste
Enhanced Particle Ray
Variable Gravitic Sphere
Zone of Denial
There are quite a few changes in play. All that Leveling meant I never had a chance to make use of the free attribute points and the free Class Skill points. I still have forty-two free attributes and two Class Skill points from the Erethran Paladin Class. And another ten attribute points from my Class upgrade.
I stare at my Class and bring up the entirely unhelpful explanation. Strangely enough, the explanation—in its entirety—is in English. Not Galactic that has been translated by Ali into English, but English to begin with.
Class: Junior System Administrator (H)
A Junior System Administrator has a minor role in overseeing the smooth operation of the System. They have access to the basic code of the System and may make minor changes to ensure the continued, smooth functioning of the System and the achievement of its primary goal.
+4 in Strength and Agility per Level. +5 in Constitution per Level. +8 in Intelligence per Level. +10 in Luck and Free Attributes points per Level.
External Mental Manipulation and Information Access is Barred.
All other Resistances increased by 20% (stackable).
Damage received reduced by 25%
Access to Level 3 installations and code
+1 Class Skill per every two Levels
If I hadn’t known something strange was going on, the new Title—which is hidden from all but Ali’s gaze—would have told me.
Title Achieved: Class Unlock
You have a limited, secret Class. As per Galactic Order 4.1, all such System Administrative Classes and Titles are hidden. You have access to equivalent Classes and Skills as per Galactic Order 4.1.1.
Effect: Your Class shows as—Grand Paladin of Erethra. You may access the equivalent number of Class Skills (1) of the Grand Paladin Class (1—locked to Grand Cross).
I never even got a chance to choose my Skills. Never got a chance to look them over, decide if this was the right one. And unlike so many other Skills, the singular Skill offered to me by the Administrator Class is incredibly simplistic in its description.
System Edit
A core Skill for System Administrators.
Effect: Make trivial to minor amendments to System processes
Cost: Variable (HP & MP)
I stare at the information once more and reach out, touching the tendrils of the System, the way it overlays and encompasses the Mana it marks. The way it presses upon my skin, twists itself into me and the very air we breathe. It’s everywhere, a part of everything. Making it all work.
And I can change it.
The memories that lie within unlock finally. They tell me what I have stumbled upon, what I forced on the Paladins, and then myself. They tell me how it was all logged.
And that there will be consequences.
Epilogue
Six Pauhiri months. As the world spins, as Empire Quests and dungeons spawn are defeated. I stick around, studying my mind, making full use of the Empress Apparent’s bonuses for Data Analysis, doing my best to understand what the Corrupt Questors have learnt.
What I’ve stumbled upon.
As good as her word, Catrin is gone. Spirited off for training, for developing her Skills. The first time she placed a point in her Skills, we all noticed. And again, a few months later, as she Leveled up enough to get another point. She’s grinding, under the protection of the Honor Guards. Protected by the promises I drew from the others with the Shackles. Though rumblings of discontent, of Brerdain and Julierudi losing standing even as Spuryan and his people grow in numbers, rise every single day.
The Paladins take to their jobs with a vengeance. Freif travels to the frontlines, bringing his brand of destruction and violence to hot spots across the Empire. He and Ayuri are out there constantly, making it clear that the Empire is not any weaker with the choice I made.
Kino’s taken a different tack, going after the nobles and the corruption. The big Risen has connections with others of his kind, with the disposed. Aided by Gheisnan’s packmates and Spuryan, Kino’s tearing a whole new swath through the corrupt practices that have flourished in the absence of the Paladins. Amusingly enough, Kino’s the lowest Level of the three since he’s often stuck babysitting a multitude of Auditors, Investigators, and the like. There’s only so much the Eyes of Insight can do.
As for Anayton? She’s the busiest of the group. Though she concentrates a lot of her time in Restricted Zones, she also hops over to help Kino or Freif as needed. She’s absorbed a large number of the surviving team members of the deceased initiates. To my surprise, Smo’kana is added to her team. He’s back on track to potentially become a Paladin under Anayton’s tutelage. I disagree with her choice, but that’s the thing—variety is the spice of life.
In the end, they don’t need me. Even when we locate Krenmock—ex-Duke of the Inifinite Keeps—the fight is over long before it starts. Without the aid of his most powerful allies—who are all Shackled to not betray the Empress—he’s cornered on the floating asteroid he calls his base. The only reason it was a challenge was because we decided to play nice and go in instead of bringing a fleet to blow it to bits at a distance.
I’m left alone, and that leaves me more than enough time to grind and, very carefully, test my new Skill. I explore the System, the way it changes lairs to dungeons, the unClassed to Classed. I watch as people complete new Quests and accept new Classes, when Settlement Orbs flicker and die and when Mana overpowers technology. I eye Skills as they trigger, as the System takes over the heavy lifting.
And I understand more than ever.
But my System Quest doesn’t tick up, no matter what I learn of how the System works. I’m stuck at the 89% mark. I’m missing something, and I can only believe that it’s in my head somewhere. And so, I study. I suffer through the headaches and the pain, the bloody noses and the brain bleeds that are fixed by the System in my trawling through the library.
Searching. And failing.
Six months, and finally, the other shoe drops.
Because choices have consequences. And consequences have babies.
The call comes as I ready to open a Portal to another dungeon. I step off the teleportation platform, allowing others to take my place. Mikito frowns, drawing her naginata—to the chagrin of the guards. But she ignores them, watching Ali and me.
“John?”
“Katherine.” I frown, staring at Earth’s Ambassador to the Galactic Council. All these years and she’s managed to hold the position. She’s grown into it, from the brief conversations we’ve had. But there’s a haunted look in the woman’s eyes today, her hair in disarray, a smudge of something dark and black on her cheek. “What’s wrong?”
“They destroyed the Embassy,” she says, her voice shaking with each word. “Killed half of my staff, those who didn’t have enough heal
th. We need you to come.”
“To Irvina?”
Her head bobs like a marionette’s. She drops her voice, whispering the next words and sending a chill through me. “They killed Peter. They’ll kill us all if you don’t come.”
“Who?” My fingers ache, my fists clenched so tightly they hurt. “Who’s threatening you?”
She startles, looks over her shoulder at a noise only she can hear. “They’re coming. I have to go.”
“Who’s coming?”
A pair of last words, before the connection cuts off, before my head hurts as the System shuts down the jagged call.
“The Council.”
###
The End
Thus Ends Book 9 of the System Apocalypse.
John will be back in Broken Council (Book 10 of the System Apocalypse)
Estimated release Q4 2020 / Q1 2021
Author’s Note
Stars Asunder is the end of the Galactic arc for the System Apocalypse series. This arc was always meant to showcase John’s journey through the System universe, showcasing to him the effects of the System on planets not his own and also, providing him further clues to the ultimate question – What is the System?
The next book, Broken Council will start the final arc of the System Apocalypse series. Having drawn the ire of the Galactic Council, he’ll be forced to make difficult choices, and do his very best to survive the coming storm.
As always, I’m grateful for everyone who has followed me on this long journey. I’ve received more support in this little story in my head than I could ever expect and hope that you’ve enjoyed the journey thus far.
If you enjoyed reading the book, please do leave a review and rating. Reviews are the lifeblood of authors and help others choose to continue with the series or not.
In addition, please check out my other series, Adventures on Brad (a more traditional young adult LitRPG fantasy), Hidden Wishes (an urban fantasy GameLit series), and A Thousand Li (a cultivation series inspired by Chinese xianxia novels).
To support me directly, please go to my Patreon account:
- https://www.patreon.com/taowong
For more great information about LitRPG series, check out the Facebook groups:
- GameLit Society
- LitRPG Books
About the Author
Tao Wong is an avid fantasy and sci-fi reader who spends his time working and writing in the North of Canada. He’s spent way too many years doing martial arts of many forms, and having broken himself too often, he now spends his time writing about fantasy worlds.
For updates on the series and other books written by Tao Wong (and special one-shot stories), please visit the author’s website:
http://www.mylifemytao.com
Subscribers to Tao’s mailing list will receive exclusive access to short stories in the Thousand Li and System Apocalypse universes: https://www.subscribepage.com/taowong
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About the Publisher
Starlit Publishing is wholly owned and operated by Tao Wong. It is a science fiction and fantasy publisher focused on the LitRPG & cultivation genres. Their focus is on promoting new, upcoming authors in the genre whose writing challenges the existing stereotypes while giving a rip-roaring good read.
For more information on Starlit Publishing, visit our website!
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Books in The System Apocalypse Universe
Main Storyline
Life in the North
Redeemer of the Dead
The Cost of Survival
Cities in Chains
Coast on Fire
World Unbound
Stars Awoken
Rebel Star
Stars Asunder
Broken Council (Q4 2020/Q1 2021)
Anthologies
System Apocalypse Short Story Anthology Volume 1
Comic Series
The System Apocalypse Comics (On-going)
Glossary
Erethran Honor Guard Skill Tree
John’s Erethran Honor Guard Skills
Mana Imbue (Level 5)
Soulbound weapon now permanently imbued with Mana to deal more damage on each hit. +30 Base Damage (Mana). Will ignore armor and resistances. Mana regeneration reduced by 25 Mana per minute permanently.
Blade Strike (Level 5)
By projecting additional Mana and stamina into a strike, the Erethran Honor Guard’s Soulbound weapon may project a strike up to 50 feet away.
Cost: 50 Stamina + 50 Mana
Thousand Steps (Level 1)
Movement speed for the Honor Guard and allies are increased by 5% while skill is active. This ability is stackable with other movement-related skills.
Cost: 20 Stamina + 20 Mana per minute
Altered Space (Level 2)
The Honor Guard now has access to an extra-dimensional storage location of 30 cubic meters. Items stored must be touched to be willed in and may not include living creatures or items currently affected by auras that are not the Honor Guard’s. Mana regeneration reduced by 10 Mana per minute permanently.
Two are One (Level 1)
Effect: Transfer 10% of all damage from Target to Self
Cost: 5 Mana per second
The Body’s Resolve (Level 3)
Effect: Increase natural health regeneration by 35%. Ongoing health status effects reduced by 33%. Honor Guard may now regenerate lost limbs. Mana regeneration reduced by 15 Mana per minute permanently.
Greater Detection (Level 1)
Effect: User may now detect System creatures up to 1 kilometer away. General information about strength level is provided on detection. Stealth skills, Class skills, and ambient Mana density will influence the effectiveness of this skill. Mana regeneration reduced by 5 Mana per minute permanently.
A Thousand Blades (Level 4)
Creates five duplicate copies of the user’s designated weapon. Duplicate copies deal base damage of copied items. May be combined with Mana Imbue and Shield Transference. Mana Cost: 3 Mana per second
Soul Shield (Level 4)
Effect: Creates a manipulable shield to cover the caster’s or target’s body. Shield has 1,500 Hit Points.
Cost: 250 Mana
Blink Step (Level 2)
Effect: Instantaneous teleportation via line-of-sight. May include Spirit’s line of sight. Maximum range—500 meters.
Cost: 100 Mana
Portal (Level 5)
Effect: Creates a 5-meter by 5-meter portal which can connect to a previously traveled location by user. May be used by others. Maximum distance range of portals is 10,000 kilometers.
Cost: 250 Mana + 100 Mana per minute (minimum cost 350 Mana)
Army of One (Level 4)
The Honor Guard’s feared penultimate combat ability, Army of One builds upon previous Skills, allowing the user to unleash an awe-inspiring attack to deal with their enemies. Attack may now be guided around minor obstacles.
Effect: Army of One allows the projection of (Number of Thousand Blades conjured weapons * 3) Blade Strike attacks up to 500 meters away from user. Each attack deals 5 * Blade Strike Level damage (inclusive of Mana Imbue and Soulbound weapon bonus)
Cost: 750 Mana
Sanctum (Level 2)
An Erethran Honor Guard’s ultimate trump card in safeguarding their target, Sanctum creates a flexible shield that blocks all incoming attacks, hostile teleportations and Skills. At this Level of Skill, the user must specify dimensions of the Sanctum upon use of the Skill. The Sanctum cannot be moved while the Skill is activated.
Dimensions: Maximum 15 cubic meters.
Cost: 1,000 Mana
Duration: 2 minute and 7 seconds
Paladin of Erethra Skill Tree
John’s Paladin of Erethra Skills
Penetration (Level 9—Evolved)
Few can face the judgm
ent of a Paladin in direct combat, their ability to bypass even the toughest of defenses a frightening prospect. Reduces Mana Regeneration by 45 permanently.
Effect: Ignore all armor and defensive Skills and spells by 90%. Increases damage done to shields and structural supports by 175%.
Secondary Effect: Damage that is resisted by spells, armor, Skills and Resistances is transferred to an Evolved Skill shield at a ratio of 1 to 1.
Duration: 85 minutes
Aura of Chivalry (Level 1)
A Paladin’s very presence can quail weak-hearted enemies and bolster the confidence of allies, whether on the battlefield or in court. The Aura of Chivalry is a double-edged sword however, focusing attention on the Paladin—potentially to their detriment. Increases success rate of Perception checks against Paladin by 10% and reduces stealth and related skills by 10% while active. Reduces Mana Regeneration by 5 Permanently.
Effect: All enemies must make a Willpower check against intimidation against user’s Charisma. Failure to pass the check will cow enemies. All allies gain a 50% boost in morale for all Willpower checks and a 10% boost in confidence and probability of succeeding in relevant actions.
Note: Aura may be activated or left-off at will.
Beacon of the Angels (Level 2)
User calls down an atmospheric strike from the heavens, dealing damage over a wide area to all enemies within the beacon. The attack takes time to form, but once activated need not be concentrated upon for completion.