Brace For the Wolves

by Nathan Thompson

  "...What?" I asked. "Where are you drawing any of that information from? Because I just learned how to do magic not five Earth months ago, and my progress is already exhausting and terrifying my teacher."

  Breena somehow managed to nod tiredly and enthusiastically at the same time. It was fascinating.

  "Negative. Nascent Lord's current potential is greatly exceeded by the average Earth human. Calculations indicate that Wes Malcolm may very well be one of the first Dusk Era humans in recorded history."

  "Negative," Normal-Avalon rebutted. "No records indicate an existence of humanity before the Stone Age. Data corruption suspected. Will continue to conduct repairs."

  "Okay," I said after a minute. "What the remains here, as well as Avalon's older data, is suggesting—" I blinked and swallowed—"is that my planet has a lost age—make that two lost ages—that no one alive has ever heard of."

  "It... looks like it, Wes," Breena said carefully. "I don't understand any more of this than you, though. And Stell would have mentioned it if she knew. But... maybe that's why your people makes such good Challengers. Maybe your kind was always meant to be heroes."

  "If that's the case," I said, thinking of my hometown, of Rhodes' people, and of the state my world was generally in, "we've fallen very, very far."

  "I'm sorry," she said sadly, flying up and placing a hand on my arm. "Are you going to be okay?"

  "Yeah," I decided. "I have to be."

  Compared to everything else that had happened, this was just a rough history test. I turned to look at the three Testifiers, who had mostly shaken off the experience of the last Rise.

  "You guys okay too?"

  Karim nodded.

  "Some of your magic has spread among us. And our old skills have... changed. Deepened somehow. It will take time to understand, and even more time to explain."

  "Right," I said. "Skills. Everyone take a couple minutes to choose your growth, and then we need to move. Avalon," I said out loud. "Is this rite you wish me to undergo related to those doors?"

  "Affirmative," both Avalons intoned. "The rite's purpose is to test the nascent lord's ability to rule in each of the eight worlds, as well as grow said ability. Currently foreign contaminants are located behind the rite's first trial, Walking the Mists of the Isle. Foreign contaminants are relevant to the Challenge received from allied Earth warriors."

  "Got it," I replied. "I'm assuming that's the misty door with Excalibur on it?"

  "Affirmative."

  "Alright," I said. "Give us a moment. Breena, in a second I’m going to need some Water magic from you.”

  I turned my attention back to my own mind-screen, and began to assign what points I could.

  Wes Malcolm

  (Truncated update)

  Strength: 65

  Dexterity:65

  Constitution:71

  Intelligence: 71

  Wisdom: 71

  Charisma: 64

  Speed:76

  Deftness:76

  Wits: 72

  Will: 102

  22 skill points remaining

  Water Magic: 4

  My body trembled as I approached the limits Stell recommended, but the experience still wasn't nearly as bad as I had expected, especially since three of my Traits—Wisdom, Constitution, and Intelligence—were now over the limit. In fact, pushing my Will past one hundred and into the triple digits generated another message:

  The Challenger has surpassed a mortal limitation and reached a heightened degree of willpower. As a result, certain magics inflicted upon him will now function at a reduced rate even when successful. Spells that successfully seize control of his body will now require more effort and energy to ensure the Challenger obeys commands, and the Challenger will gain new opportunities over time to escape control of the spell.

  That was useful, although it felt like I already had a lot of tools to resist compulsion effects. I wondered if all this mental boosting was somehow also reducing the effect of migraines on me, because the headache for assigning skills wasn't as bad as I thought it would be either. For now, though, I had decided to refrain from boosting my Water magic as high as possible because I felt I should cross the 'threshold' levels naturally, through application and training, rather than relying on Risen power. Both Breena and Stell had recommended that I do just that when they trained me, and, whatever they believed, I tried to follow their advice whenever possible. Speaking of their beliefs, I thought with a sigh...

  Pre-recorded message from Stell Starsown

  Wes, if you’re getting this message it means you’ve pushed your Intelligence to your maximum safe limit. Breena said you would do this to one of your Traits but I didn’t believe her. So if you see her looking extremely smug while marking off one of the best glades in Avalon as a ‘Breena-only zone today' (I have no idea where she got the paint. Probably Guineve gave it to her, and probably because she's also been in on this the whole time, and I just haven't noticed. Also, don't go in there, no matter how many times she invites you. Just trust me) then that’s why. It’s also your fault. So feel bad. But aside from that, DO NOT increase your Intelligence any further, at least until your next Rise. Just slow it down a little, okay? This isn't a good Trait to push past the boundary on, because you may start having trouble focusing on what's happening, because there are so many facts in your head. Just so I can make this painfully clear: pushing your primary Traits past more than ten times your number of Rises is a bad idea after your fifth Rise. Breena argued you should know that specifically, even though she thought you’d abuse it. I argued that it shouldn’t be necessary because even when you were training in a way that left everyone frightened and exhausted all the time you never came within ten points of that limit. That resulted in another argument, which has apparently resulted in another lost bet. Tell her I said you could have one of the triple-fudge brownies she won. They’re delicious and she doesn’t need all that extra sugar anyway. Again, unless something, has gone horribly, horribly wrong, don’t push this particular Trait any further. As long as you keep that in mind, you’re safe.

  And, predictably...

  THREE Traits, Wes? THREE? HOW? How did you even have time? What did you do? Who did you kill? I check in with you every single day, even when you're out there performing Challenges. That means that within twenty-four Avalonian, Woadland, or non-Earth hours, you've managed to max out half of your Traits. This is really, really, dangerous, Wes. I don't want you to lose the progress you've always worked so hard on by having something backfire. Just tell Breena what happened, and how she was right and I should have listened earlier, and come back here so that we can check on you and make sure your brain isn't trying to punch its way out of your skull or something. I don't care if you haven't completed the Challenge yet. Actually, let's be honest: you probably have, but you're holding out on making it official because you're still trying get everything that's not bolted down out of whatever tomb you've already cleared of monsters.

  Ugh, you better be okay, so that I can be properly mad at you. Breena bet a date on this. And she wouldn't explain herself when I pressed her for details.

  And, if you're not okay, just come back to Avalon. It'll be alright. I'll find a way to fix it. I promise.

  Stell Starsown

  I sighed. You better be okay too, I thought.

  And honestly, after this kind of day, I had zero problems with something as fun and casual as a date. Hell, if Breena managed to get up to over four feet I'd take her to see any movie she wanted.

  That thought came out of nowhere, I realized. Back to work.

  "Okay, Breena," I said to my flying friend. "Can you hit me up with some Water magic?"

  Breena had flown back over to Eadric and the others.

  "Sure!" she piped cheerfully. "Soon as I'm done with theirs!"

  Right, I thought. They appeared to have gained Ideal magic also. That was a huge combat booster.

  Eadric looked down and concentrated as tiny pebbles floated up and fastened o
nto part of his skin. Weylin smiled as gust of wind tussled his light-blonde hair. And Karim's eyes glowed blue briefly for a moment, then returned to normal. I'd have to ask Breena about whatever that spell was later.

  Then she flew over to me and taught me four new spells. This time I chose to collapse the descriptions in the mind-screens, providing me just the basic knowledge of their effects.

  Corrective Flow: Provides an initial healing effect equal to ten times the caster's skill ranks with water magic, along with a smaller regeneration effect per second equal to the caster's skill ranks in water magic. Can gradually repair damage that has exceeded the target's vital guard.

  Assisted Circulation: Provides an increase of the caster's Constitution and Intelligence equal to the caster's skill ranks in water magic.

  Those were my two signature spells. Breena taught me two more that I think were designed to help me remember that water could exist in different states—though apparently mastering those concepts required secondary Ideals.

  Blinding Mist: Creates a fog that reduces visibility for fifteen seconds.

  Pebble Hail: Causes centimeter-sized hail to rain over a target area equal to three times the caster's rank in Water magic. Damage per second is equal to the caster's rank in water magic. Spell lasts for ten seconds.

  "There," Breena said. "You're a little more well-rounded. I know a lot of this still overlaps with your other magics, but when you get enough experience I can start teaching you other things, like flying or summoning creatures."

  "That sounds fun," I replied. "Especially the flying part."

  "I wouldn't know. I do it all the time," she said as she stuck her tongue out at me.

  It was time to move on. We strode forward to the door marked with what I took to be Avalon’s image.

  Chapter 11: Give Me Your Poor, Your Lost, Your Tired

  Mist rolled out at my feet as the door opened before I touched it. It whispered at me as I walked past.

  “Who is this?”

  “Is he new?”

  “Will he stay?”

  “Is he worthy?”

  The voices tumbled over each other as I walked into a new dark hallway. Unlike Avalon’s heavy, booming voices, these voices were shy, scared, and quiet.

  Avalon, I asked in my mind. Is this another part of you—of either of you, I mean?

  Negative, both voices intoned in my mind. The nascent Lord has encountered lost subjects. The computers went silent for a few moments, then spoke up again. Avalon requests patience and mercy regarding the aforementioned beings... they will not know better.

  That display of emotion was unusual, and put me further on my guard. I began to step more carefully, worried that I could somehow step on the spirits or be harmed by them.

  “He walks carefully,” one voice whispered.

  “Does he fear us?” another asked.

  “Does he care for us?” a hopeful voice whispered.

  “Will he stay?”

  “Is he worthy?” the oldest voice demanded.

  “Hey guys?” I asked behind me. “Am I the only one hearing voices again?”

  “No,” Eadric muttered, a little uncomfortable. “We hear them too this time.”

  Weylin was watching the mists nervously, while Karim was examining them with his new glowing eyes.

  “Look,” the mists spoke up again. “Others follow him.”

  “He has a retinue.”

  “Already?”

  “Are they enough?”

  “Can they help us?”

  “Does it make him worthy?” the last voice demanded again.

  Breena flew next to me, a shocked and mournful expression on her face.

  “All these souls,” the fairy whispered. “Just right under us… all this time.” She looked down and fluttered a little closer to the mists. “Can you hear us? How can we help you?”

  “She speaks,” a woman’s voice whispered from this mist.

  “She hears us,” another whispered.

  “Impossible,” a third voice grumbled. “No one ever hears us.”

  “Does she speak for him? Does she speak for the Earthborn?”

  “Can they help us?”

  “Is he worthy?”

  “Yes, she speaks for me,” I finally said. “And yes, we came to help you. I don’t know whether or not I’m worthy. But I’ve been asked to get you all out. I need your help to figure out how.”

  “He speaks as well.”

  “He wants to help us.”

  “Does he mean it?”

  “Can he even do so?”

  “Maybe... if he’s worthy,” the last voice said cautiously.

  “Wes?” Breena spoke up. “I don’t think they can answer you.” She looked glum. “They’re too broken.”

  Patience requested, Avalon repeated in my mind. Mercy requested.

  “Alright,” I said as I looked down the dark hallway. “Let’s just move forward. Karim and Eadric up in front of me, and let me know what you see. Weylin guard our rear. Breena, stay close to me and be ready for when we need light.”

  “Got it,” the little fairy said.

  The voices grew quiet for a bit. We continued to march forward.

  Except for the mists coming up to our shins, the hallway ahead was unnaturally bare, to the point of it being indistinct. I had only the vague impression of walls next to me in the heavy blackness. We had just enough room to walk side-by-side, and I could reach out and touch the stone even though I couldn’t see anything more than the occasional patch of gray stone. And though the ground ahead was somehow lit by the mists, all I could see above it was thick, inky blackness. The cobblestone floor only came into view a few inches in front of my feet.

  For a while nothing happened. We walked slowly in silence, catching a mutter every now and then from one of the voices in the mist. I pictured myself in one of my sister’s games, expecting some kind of trap every few feet. The fact that I had just triggered a trap less than an hour ago reinforced this feeling.

  And the worst part of that was that I didn’t really know how to check for traps. I came to Avalon with all kinds of basic knowledge that I never remember learning. How to ride a horse. How to handle a longsword, and by longsword I mean the real two-handed weapons. How to maneuver a shield properly. I remember doing each of those a handful of times and I also remember having no idea what I was doing each time, so my knowledge couldn’t have come from any of those experiences. That same knowledge, however, was lacking when it came to figuring out how to do something simple like walk down a hall without triggering arrows from the wall, the ground opening up under me, or acid suddenly dumping from the ceiling. I did what I could, which amounted to just walking carefully around suspicious-looking cobblestones and weird holes in the wall, but I could only catch brief glimpses of either the wall or the floor. Most of the time all I saw was mist and inky blackness. In the end I had to just suck it up and accept that Eadric and Karim probably knew enough about this sort of thing to keep us all alive.

  And, worst-case scenario, we still had plenty of spare gear.