Brace For the Wolves

by Nathan Thompson

  Everything went white all around me.

  Chapter 10: Buried Might

  Monitoring systems online.

  Recognizing Draconic-Level Imprint in user Wes Malcolm. Proceed with further monitoring.

 

  Family and friends are currently listed as secure and no longer under surveillance. Current halt on surveillance protocol is currently being contested. Override objections?

 

  Commands accepted. Will provide data when the information is collected and ready.

 

  Query accepted.

  Surveillance on Wes Malcolm is still possible. Wes Malcolm is currently located off-world and exhibiting signs contrary to his designation as 'deceased.' Change designation?

 

  Command accepted.

  Four life forms detected within five meters of Wes Malcolm. Approximately one hundred native-class life forms detected within several miles south and several dozen feet above Wes Malcolm. Further ally-class life forms detected at maximum range of surveillance. Number is several dozen.

  Query received from ally-class life forms: Kill the Traitor-Prince. Accept Query?

 

  Command accepted. Warning: power supplies low. Recommend terminating program for the time being.

 

  Query accepted. Amount of time is unknown.

 

  Command accepted. Shutting down now...

  Detecting request: Kill the Traitor-Prince. Rejecting per standing orders...

  Detecting request: Kill the Traitor-Prince. Rejecting per standing orders...

  Detecting request: Kill the Traitor-Prince. Rejecting per standing orders...

  Shutting down now.

  My vision cleared. I was still shaking, but my tremors were slowing little by little.

  "Error," Normal-Avalon's voice said. "Unidentified link detected. Unknown side effects detected to have occurred during the repairing process."

  "Examining," Damaged-Avalon said. "Link is observed to be a variation of the basic link used by projected bodies during Stellar War. Side effects are beneficial in nature and not a cause for concern."

  "Please explain Stellar War," Normal-Avalon asked.

  "Explanation is complex, and beyond current abilities," Damaged-Avalon replied. "Further repairs are necessary before complex subjects can be addressed. Recommend the examination of nascent lord to determine if the removal of restraints was successful."

  "Recommendation accepted. Challenger Wes Malcolm's abilities appear to have surged dramatically. Removal is apparently successful. Detecting further increases of power among Challenger's retinue."

  "Retinue?" I heard Weylin ask. "When did we become his retinue?"

  "As soon as you started following me around while making snarky comments," I retorted. "Congratulations on your new minion statuses."

  I heard a couple moans of mock despair, as well as a giggle from Breena.

  "Negative," Damaged-Avalon suddenly said. "Removal of restraints was not entirely successful. Nascent lord is still displaying abilities far below a normal Earth-human of the same age and Risen level."

  "Please confirm observation," Normal-Avalon replied, sounding somewhat urgent. "Challenger Wes Malcolm's abilities have far exceeded that of a normal Earth-human of his age. Basing this conclusion on observation of current and last hundred generations of Earth-humans."

  "Data accepted," Damaged-Avalon warbled thoughtfully. "New conclusion: Earthlings of this age have suffered a drastic decrease in power. Limitations appear to be caused by outside sources. Recommend gradual removal of foreign limitations."

  "Recommendation accepted,” I decided, “on the condition that said removal be carried out with extreme caution. Moving to inquire as to the status of Avalon's own repairs."

  "Repairs appear to be partially successful," Damaged-Avalon noted, and at that point I realized that the entity's warbling had decreased. "Detecting new data in system."

  "Likewise. Discovering Rite necessary for Challenger Wes Malcolm to undergo before further Right to Rule can be granted."

  “Why do I need further Right to Rule?” I asked.

  "In the absence of a Steward, Right to Rule is necessary," both voices of Avalon intoned at once. "A steward's authority is limited and comes from non-permanence, from being answerable to another." It was then that I noticed the two voices of Avalon were slowly beginning to merge together. "A planetary lord lacks that obligation. To prevent abuse of power as well as any commands that might lead to the destruction of a world, other restraints to their power must exist. Therefore, the authority of a planetary lord must derive from three sources: blood, meaning they have a strong tie to the world they seek authority over, recognition, meaning that the other powers present on the world will submit to their rule, and finally the aspiring lord must possess their own degree of personal power as well, to demonstrate their competence. In conclusion, power to rule should be granted, inherited, and inherent by nature. A true planetary lord possesses all three, and can access all of their planet's special functions."

  "I see," I groaned. "I was kind of hoping I'd already be able to do everything I needed to already, Avalon."

  "The Challenger has been recognized as having enough authority to issue basic commands. Further powers will be available provided the Challenger goes through the Rites."

  The voices suddenly separated again, and Damaged-Avalon's warbled voice spoke out.

  "Data file recovered. Confirmed that Earthborn warriors can receive further power and resources upon accepting the last Challenge issued to their race in this location.”

  "Challenge?" I asked. "What Challenge?"

  The mural beneath my feet suddenly rumbled.

  A voice and vision suddenly entered my mind-screen.

  I saw a tall, muscular Native American man stand before me. He exceeded my own height by almost two full heads, and he was clad head to toe in anachronistic plate armor that gave off a faint green glow. His armor was etched with the designs of various birds, and two graceful, metallic wings curled out from his back. In his right hand was the restored version of the ruined helm I had found on the floor earlier.

  "Son or daughter of Earth," the man intoned in fluent English. "By whatever means, you have found yourself on our old battlefield. You are receiving this message because, regardless of how much time has passed, there are those on this planet we have taken a vow to protect. We can say with confidence that all living Avalonians have been successfully evacuated to our own planet. Chances are high that you have met an Avalonian yourself, or are even in part descended from one. But that is not the matter at hand. The neglected dead still remain here, and as any Earth warrior knows, death is a battle, not a destination. I invoke the Challenge of Rescuing the Lost, that you find the bound souls still remaining on Avalon, and either help them pass on or restore them to new bodies. I trust that, as a planetary traveler, your education should have already prepared you to do both. I further trust that your education, coupled with your birthright as an Earth-born warrior, should enable you to finish what we started here on this planet.

  "Your foes are certainly many, but the Thing Between Stars has been subdued and trapped by Avalon itself. Even if it somehow frees itself, it should still be smart enough to avoid action with a member of our race." The man looked down and away f
rom me for a moment, and then turned his gaze back to me. "We were... careless. We had underestimated the threat this allied world faced. We should have brought more help. For all we know, just another one of us—maybe even you, son or daughter—would have been enough to turn the tide. You will face foes from several worlds. Worlds your teachers would have taught you to be already vanquished. They were wrong.

  “Our old enemies have not only survived, they have united, and so we faced thousands wherever we were expecting hundreds, and tens of thousands wherever we were expecting only thousands. It should not have made a difference, but it did. And so this world was not given the rescue honor demanded it receive." The knight's stare intensified. "You will have to be greater than us. You have to remind this world of the Universal Laws that the Ill-Willed One tries so hard to make us all forget: Failure is Non-Permanent. All is Not Lost. Champion those ideas, Earth-child, or all of the worlds will one day grow dark.

  “As a final act of commitment, we will share with you and any allies you possess what power we can. It will not be great, in fact it will probably be less than what your parents and instructors have already taught you to wield. But for the handful of ilk that remain, that we failed to slay, it should be sufficient. They will attempt to convince you otherwise, but hold fast. You are a child of Earth and therefore the Unconquered One, so victory itself is your birthright. Find a way to seize it, in this place where we failed.

  “Should you prove to be victorious, Avalon will finally be saved and you will have the opportunity to advance upon your birthright. The power you have received from us will then grow again, as victory begets victory. But that is enough talk of which you would have already learned. Stand by for the transfer of power.”

  The misty image on my mind-screen faded until it was an indistinct cloud, and then it rushed into me.

  It was like a bowling ball had suddenly appeared inside of my chest.

  I sank immediately to my knees, inhaling to keep my lungs from collapsing. My heart beat like it was trapped and trying to hammer its way out of a thousand-pound coffin. I heard Weylin, Karim, and even Eadric gasp out in surprise as they sank to the floor too. Breena fell straight to the floor with a surprised squeak. I croaked, then heaved, then strained.

  And then I pushed.

  "Progress detected on removing inhibitors," Damaged-Avalon noted. "Nascent Lord is several degrees closer to that of a normal Earth male his age. Further progress is still possible."

  "Progress has also been noted on the Challenger's retinue," Normal-Avalon noted. "All subjects are displaying an increased and atypical level of power. Caution is advised for further increases in all subjects."

  "Negative," Damaged-Avalon replied. "The retinue's adjustments are well within expected parameters for working with an Earthborn."

  "Stop," I panted, still clutching my chest. I felt like my heart was pounding the hell out of my ribcage, and my ribcage was just calling it a sissy and daring it to hit harder. Every single muscle on my body seemed like it was trying to flex and show off, and every cell doing anything at all was trying to make a high-speed foot race out of whatever job it had.

  "Breena," I panted, feeling like my brain was about to overload. "What...the hell?"

  "I... don't know, Wes," the tiny fairy panted from the floor near me. "But...whatever...you're doing...please...stop."

  She rolled over off her back to glare at me. "Please... a girl needs... rest."

  Even in my overwhelmed state I winced at her poor choice of words.

  "Avalon," I said, getting back to my feet. "If you, and I mean either of you, do that again, I quit."

  "Complaint is heard, noted, and filed into the data logs," Normal-Avalon replied.

  "Error," Damaged-Avalon interrupted. "Data files damaged. Message is lost. Please repeat."

  I muttered a few more expletives and threats that weren't coherent even to me, then scooped Breena's tired body off the floor. I tried to be careful of her wings, but the gossamer flaps were sturdier than I thought. She seemed okay, fortunately, other than her heavy breathing. Also she seemed slightly bigger, over a foot and half tall. I chose not to comment on that and turned my attention to the three Testifiers who were also rising to their feet and shaking their heads. "You guys okay?" I asked them.

  "I don't know," Karim said slowly. "It's so... easy... to think now. So easy it hurts. I don't understand." He seemed shaken. The other two couldn't even articulate that much.

  Every now and then something would flash in front of their eyes, a blur I couldn’t distinguish at all. They seemed as startled by that as I was.

  Breena made a frightened gasp in my arm.

  “Wes.”

  “What is it?” I asked her. “Are you okay?”

  “Wes.” Her voice was quiet. “I just underwent a Rise.”

  “Yeah,” I nodded. “I did too. That’s normal, right?”

  Breena was my bonded familiar, meaning her Risen level was tied to my own. She was supposed to get stronger whenever I did.

  But the little sprite shook her head.

  “No, Wes,” Breena whispered. “I had to push and everything. That hasn’t happened since I became a familiar.”

  “Is that okay?” I asked worriedly. “I mean, is that good?”

  “I don’t know,” she replied in a small voice. “I mean, I think so? I… wait.”

  She blinked again. This time something sparked in front of her vision. A tiny current, the blue-white color of my normal lightning, danced between both of her eyes.

  “Lightning,” she gasped. “I’ve got Lightning magic now. Innate understanding. Just like you. Plus a little bit of Earth magic as well.”

  This time the lightning sparked across her hair, making her little spikes poof out even more.

  “Hah!” She suddenly giggled. “This is gonna be fun! And probably annoying, when I want to be formal,” she grumbled, changing attitudes quickly and straightening her spikes. “But either way, I’m okay. You can put me down now, Wes.”

  “Oh, right,” I said, letting her fly out of my arms. She gave me a shy smile, then flew over to a corner so that she could test out her new magic.

  This change would probably be really good for us, I thought. Breena kept most of her knowledge, even when her power reset back to the level of the new Challenger she connected with. I wasn’t entirely sure how that worked, but it meant that Breena retained the knowledge of a lot of spells even when she was no longer able to cast them. Now that she got full access to Lightning and partial access to Earth, our combat potential should suddenly jump off the charts.

  Speaking of which, since everyone was either flying around or still recovering, I took a quick glance at my mind-screen to see my new status:

  But before I could glance at my status, a new message appeared:

  The Challenger’s race has undergone a minor change, converting from a modern human to a human of the Dusk Era. Combined with his Challenger status, the Challenger now receives 8 points per Rise to modify his Traits, as well as eight skill points per Rise. The change is retroactive.

  Recent empowerment of both the Challenger and his familiar has deepened their bond, allowing a further share of Ideals. The Challenger has gained Innate Understanding to the Ideal of Water.

  Water is the domain of gentleness, secrets, and fluidity. An Innate understanding grants the Challenger an initial and constant increase to Constitution, Intelligence, and Wisdom. Over time the Challenger will notice a further improvement to their Deftness, regenerative speed, and blood flow, in both their projected and original bodies. The Challenger further performs water-based magic to greater effect, and also receives a significant resistance to water-based magic as well as a slight resistance to cold in both bodies.

  Finally, though, my mind-screen loaded my characteristics, and I sucked in a breath when I saw the results:

  Wes Malcolm

  Race: Human. Origin: Earth (Dusk Era), Avalon (Challenger)

  Growth Level: Seventh Rise
(Flash)

  Strength:60

  Dexterity:60

  Constitution:71

  Intelligence: 71

  Wisdom: 71

  Charisma: 60

  Speed: 71

  Deftness: 71

  Wits: 72

  Will: 100

  26 skill points remaining

  That was a lot to try and figure out at once. I tried to handle the first bit of news, about me being a race from a different era.

  "Avalon? Breena? Have either of you heard of the Dusk Era?"

  Breena looked up from making a tiny bolt of electricity spark between her hands.

  "No, Wes, I haven't. And I haven't heard anything about different eras of Earth. The furthest back age Stell and I know about is your Stone Age, and even that is fragmented."

  "Research suggests that the Dusk Era is the age that will follow the present age of Earth, which is commonly called the Age of Might," Damaged-Avalon rumbled. "If humanity continues to decline and enters the Dusk Era, it is suspected that they will begin to lose their inherent talents for various magics, as well as a general decrease in strength, power, and health in their physical bodies. It is also suspected that their learning speed and overall potential for growth will sharply deteriorate. Finally, if certain Tumults are failed, it is suspected that the knowledge and ability to merge technology with magic will also enter a decline, which could threaten Earth's position in many regions of the Expanse. Keep in mind that the Dusk Era is still a hypothetical time period that has not yet occurred, and shouldn't be capable of occurring for at least a hundred more Earth generations, which is roughly one hundred thousand years."