Chương 57: Chapter 56: The Chaos Sorceress

Alberto Boss was sipping his coffee, watching the Cathedral of the Revenants tremble. He had started work on the Champion's outfit as soon as he had left his workshop. The old man had always had good instincts. This time, it whispered to him not to disappoint his new client. The tailor looked down at his coffee. Black and sugarless, it reminded him of Anatole. The master of the Revenants was not a man to be crossed lightly. Alberto didn't consider himself a coward, but rather a pragmatist.

Yet he had to face the truth: he was afraid of Anatole. The man was crazy, and you didn't negotiate with the mad. You didn't try to understand them. You ran away from them. The craftsman had almost succumbed to his fear. He had thought of running away from Viracocha - he was rich enough for that - and then waiting for the end of the Reunion, in hiding. His instincts had prevented him from doing so, and Alberto now understood why. Priam was fighting to be the sole master of his destiny.

The old man wasn't that ambitious. But if he had to be a piece on the chessboard, he might as well not be a pawn. A new tremor shook the Revenants' lair. So violent was the shock that the craftsman thought for a moment the cathedral was about to collapse. The stained glass windows at the cathedral's base glowed red before exploding. Alberto realized why he had decided to create the outfit in the first place. Anatole was a fool, but Priam was a dreamer. He wouldn't let anything come between him and his dreams.

"You can kill a madman," he muttered.

"But you can't kill a dream."

"... Meaning?" Alberto Boss turned back to the woman who had come to disrupt his work.

"Meaning I'll deal with your King's request when I've finished the Champion's."

"You would put a Baron before my King?" asked the assassin in a neutral voice.

"A Viscount."

"He draws light to himself. He'll burn his wings in the end. We can kill dreams now, Master Boss."

"With the System, maybe. But I doubt you could kill the Viscount so easily," Alberto smiled.

"That said, I'd be honored to take care of your King's request as soon as possible." The tailor had rubbed shoulders with enough dangerous characters to know when to back off. Besides, the work promised to be interesting. Whoever this Prometheus was, he'd gathered an impressive amount of different materials. Nothing Viscount-level, of course, but the amount of resources from Barons was truly mind-boggling. Faced with the assassin's silence, Alberto continued.

"It'll be ready before the end of the Reunion, don't worry. Your King won't have any complaints about the quality of his attire." The assassin nodded. Alberto blinked as he felt a draft around his neck. A warm sensation made him frown. Did I drink my coffee wrong? He touched his neck for a moment before checking his hand. It was blood-red. Alberto looked up at the assassin, but she had disappeared. A voice rang out in the workshop.

"He's also your King. Prometheus is the only one who will save us. You have until the end of the week." Alberto gritted his teeth. Outside, the cathedral trembled. In his hand, his coffee was getting cold. Its surface was agitated. Congratulations! Improved title: [Infantile Phoenix - Silver]. [Infantile Phoenix - Silver] - All that was left of you was ashes. Yet here you are. It's not the first time you've cheated death - something you have in common with the Phoenix.

The Tear of the Phoenix, purified by [Essence of Abomination], flowed through your veins. Your reconstitution and the synergies of your various Titles have integrated it into your ethereal code. You're not quite human anymore. It's almost impossible to become - even partially - a Phoenix. This proud race leaves only two choices for half-bloods. Bend down and rejoin the clan, or die. You control some fires. Flames naturally temper you. Being on the verge of death has a tiny chance of triggering Nirvana.

VIT +20% As Priam's eyes finally focused, and even before the immediate aftermath of the explosions had subsided, [Soul Mirror] reacted. Priam blinked and found himself back in his mental lair. It was the first time he'd been forcibly drawn there, and he had a bad feeling about it. His soul pond was boiling. Priam's reflection was blurred by the bubbles, and the heat was terrifying. Priam looked up for a second, then looked away instantly. In the skylessness of his mental space laid a Phoenix.

Priam had never seen a Phoenix, of course, but not for a moment could he have been mistaken. The creature was as sublime as it was deadly. A golden-tinted flame had taken on the appearance of a legendary bird. Two piercing sapphire eyes gazed majestically out over the world. Priam had not looked away out of fear but out of instinct. He was facing a force of nature. The mythical creature standing before him was no mortal and deserved his respect. Sphinx's existence had alerted Priam, but the Phoenix was shaking him.

Despite his best efforts, he was nothing compared to this creature. His mere presence gave off a terrifying heat. The water in his pond was infused with a fragment of the Concept of Purity. Upon detecting a stranger in its mental space, the fragment would burn itself away, trying to chase the intruder away. However, Priam was no fool. The Phoenix was far more powerful than the fragment and wouldn't harm it - the council of surviving Priams wouldn't put it at risk.

With a thought, Priam calmed [Soul Mirror] and inclined his head towards the Phoenix. How can we get the most out of this meeting? According to his analysis, it was in his interest to ask vague questions to give his clones a chance to interpret his words. Answer: Accept politely, swear on your last feather, and ask for an Apprenticeship. Priam wanted to smile. The sentence was so cryptic that it was bound to contain an exciting reward. The last feather... I suppose alopecia is a serious matter among Phoenixes.

Although it's probably called something else in the bird world.

"O Phoenix, what can I do for you?" Priam asked. He was pragmatic enough to be humble when the situation called for it. Perhaps one day, he would be powerful and famous enough to avoid bowing to any tyrant. On that day, his pride would no longer suffer. Until then, he would do his best to stay alive. I didn't suffer a dozen horrible deaths to die now. As the silence stretched on, Priam remained inclined, patient. He knew nothing about his interlocutor.

Perhaps the Phoenix were accustomed to observing a minute's silence before speaking, and Priam had no intention of inadvertently breaking a tradition. It was, after all, the fourth time he had communicated with an alien. The first two had tried to kill him - and Arnold had somehow succeeded. The third worked for the System and had learned about human customs. Almost a minute later, Priam was still bowing. At least I'm still alive... That's good progress. Dad was right, you should always be polite.

The Phoenix drew him out of his thoughts.

"Who are you?" The Phoenix spoke in a strange, musical language that Priam's soul instinctively understood.

"I'm a human. My name is Priam Azura. I used your Tear when I died, and its corruption was drained by an Essence of Abomination - given by the System as a reward for a quest." A brief but fair and complete answer, followed by a summary of events. Priam could have tried to partly answer to gain information by analyzing the Phoenix's words, but he wasn't stupid. The Phoenix's first question could indicate two things. The first was that the legendary beast had no idea what was happening.

By presenting the facts succinctly and dismissing all the damning evidence against him, Priam presented himself in a good light. Above all, he wanted to avoid the Phoenix deciding to attack him by finding him in possession of an Abomination Essence. After all, only two kinds of people carried such trinkets in their pockets. Terrorists working with the Depths and kind heroes trying to free poor Phoenixes trapped in those same Depths... The second hypothesis was more disturbing.

The Phoenix knew what was happening and tried to analyze Priam's character. In this case, it was better to appear honest and fair. Few people liked a liar.

"Pleased to meet you, Priam," replied the Phoenix.

"I'm... My name doesn't matter anymore. I am a small fragment of a vast consciousness corrupted by the Depths." The legendary bird paused, and Priam remained silent. After a few seconds, he resumed.

"I'd like to thank you for releasing this fragment. An 'Abomination Essence' capable of absorbing the corruption of my Tear... It's a perfect object, right?" Priam frowned as a supernatural force gently lifted his head. Earlier, the mythical bird's presence had shaken his mental space. Now, its gratitude healed and regenerated his soul. Priam didn't need to breathe in his mental space. Yet he took a breath, and it filled him with energy. He felt great. This book's true home is on another platform.

Check it out there for the real experience.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I understand," he replied.

"We humans are a new civilization with little knowledge."

"A new civilization? Strange... I meant something created by the System. Did you kill a monster of the Depths in a System event?"

"Indeed," nodded Priam.

"But why strange, if you don't mind my asking?"

"The System would never have placed this monster before a young civilization. One of your compatriots must have brought a corrupted object with him. If the System let him, it must have been an opportunity he won." Priam nodded and thought for a second.

"Anatole Aely'Samael has in his possession an Urn of the Depths. He certainly obtained it from..."

"Who?!" The temperature rose suddenly, and Priam shielded his face with his hands.

"Anatole Aely'Samael!" That was the name the System had given him in his quest to bring down the Revenants. The Phoenix looked up at the sky and blew. A spray of fire, as magnificent as it was deadly, shot up. A few seconds passed before he stopped and stared at Priam.

"You have to kill him," the Phoenix ordered.

"Anatole?"

"He's an Aely. He's part of the nobility of the Depths. That's highly unlikely coming from a newcomer, but there's no point in denying it. You've got to stop him. If you leave him alone, he'll vampirize your civilization, then others. In a few million years, a new God of the Depths will appear, and my clan will be in danger."

"In danger?" asked Priam.

"Phoenixes are a manifestation of the cycle of life, light, and heat. The Depths parody life, taking advantage of their semi-impunity from the Concepts. This empty, corrupt place is our antithesis. All living creatures abhor the Depths, and especially the Phoenixes," explained the legendary bird. He snorted before continuing.

"That's unimportant for now. You must kill this Anatole and retrieve his Urn. Make sure you destroy his Abominations." Priam bowed his head.

"I will, O Phoenix. I swear it on my last feather." Head bent, Priam couldn't see the Phoenix's reaction, but he seemed to sense surprise.

"You know our customs and have my blood running through you. How strange. What do you ask in exchange for your promise?" Now's the time.

"I humbly ask for an Apprenticeship." The Phoenix sighed.

"I suspected as much. Unfortunately, it's impossible." Priam raised his head in surprise. Have I done something wrong?

"Don't get me wrong, Priam. I'm just a fragment of a broken consciousness. I cannot offer you what you desire." The mythical animal approached Priam. Its warmth seemed both lively and comforting. Wild but benevolent. The young man felt wrapped in a soft cocoon that reminded him of the moment before his resurrection, when he knew that in the space of [He Who Eludes Death], nothing could happen to him. The Phoenix resumed.

"You've purified this part of my consciousness, which deserves a reward. Now that you're sharing my bloodline - even if it is extremely diluted - I'm going to teach you an attack of my clan. Normally, we use our talons, but your spear will do." The Phoenix moved even closer to Priam.

"If my gratitude is one thing, your promise is another. In agreement with the System, I will offer you a long quest to combat the influence of the Depths. At each level, you'll earn rewards, provided by the System and by a portion of my personal fortune. Do you accept?" Priam nodded.

"I renew my oath."

"Good. System, witness our arrangement." New Quest: A Light in the Depths. You've released part of the consciousness of a Phoenix Prince. You've defeated the spawn of the Depths. Free your civilization from this infestation. All Abominations on the Moon must be destroyed. Reward: The Phoenix Prince's flame will light your soul. Difficulty: Legendary Recover or destroy the Urn of the Deep. Reward: Your Bound Weapon will be tempered by the grace of the Phoenix Difficulty: Legendary Kill Anatole Aely'Samael.

Reward: Purification of your Phoenix Bloodline. Difficulty: Legendary Priam opened his mouth before closing it again.

"The rewards are incredible..." and the difficulty of killing Anatole increased.

"The System is fair. The rewards could be better, but you already have a quest asking you to kill this man. I am providing all the rewards, but the System guarantees them. The last reward is exceedingly rare and only possible because I seek to weaken my main consciousness."

"I'm going to be transfused from your real body?!" A mirthless laugh seized the Phoenix.

"No, I don't have that power. But I have a few drops of Primordial Blood in one of the System banks. Since I'm the only uncorrupted party, I'm the only one with access to them. Corruption has deprived my original of certain rights... But that's not important now. Just know that your bloodline is currently too poor to have any real effect. If it were purified... It's an exceptional reward, believe me." Priam grinned, then felt a wave of heat warm his face.

"Concentrate on the present. This Anatole must be complicated to kill for the difficulty to be so high. For now, learn. My technique is called [Earth of Ash, Sea of Steam, Infinite Firmament, Phoenix pierces all Tribulations]." The Phoenix laughed at Priam's stunned gaze.

"We Phoenix like long sentences. My people would capture you if they found you, so I permit you to rename it. Don't worry, this attack complements your current skills. Now, watch and learn." Priam opened his eyes. The explosions had stopped, and the cathedral was no longer shaking. His haze told him that he had dropped one level. He was now in the treasure room. The thought made him smile, but not as much as his last notification. You have gained the skill: [Tribulation Piercing spear - Rare].

He had named the attack himself. Right now, it was a little presumptuous, but Priam knew he wouldn't always be this weak. If he didn't die on the way, he'd eventually reach the Zenith. Claire was running through the alleyways of the Dome. She had managed to escape Mercury by using her Potential to strengthen her mental skills. It hadn't been easy, and when she arrived in front of the hotel housing her little sister, she had smiled in spite of herself. All the sacrifices had been worth it.

Unfortunately, the reunion hadn't gone as planned. No sooner had she knocked on the door than men appeared in the alley. Claire had hesitated: should she flee or protect her sister under unfavorable circumstances? As she hesitated, she recognized one of them. It was Mercury's sommelier, and Claire realized she'd never escaped. Five minutes later, a dozen men were after her, and her sister had surely been captured. I led them to her, she cursed herself.

Eyes glistening with tears and anger, Claire arrived at a marketplace. The Market. A few meters away stood the pyramid she had left after betraying Priam. A plan began to form in her head. The only way to get her sister back was a hostage exchange. Mercury might not love anyone, but Priam wanted his family back.

"But first, I've got to get away." Mercury's men were just a few yards away, and Claire knew she couldn't escape them without a fight. She dashed into the crowd. Thousands of men, women, and children were trying to buy and sell their goods. They were all trying to adapt to this cruel new world. These poor people will die in the war that's coming soon. The guards were almost close enough to touch her, and Claire made a decision. [Bloodthirsty madness] The crowd fell silent before shouting.

The gold of the Dome turned red. The chaos sorceress had a plan. Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0) PHYSICAL: Strength 148 (+1) Constitution 245 Agility 153 (+1) Vitality 273 (+19) Perception 286 MENTAL: Vivacity 172 Dexterity 168 (+1) Memory 39 Willpower 251 Charisma 138 META: Meta-affinity 126 Meta-focus 94 Meta-endurance 80 Meta-perception 26 Meta-chance 114 Potential: 1091 Tier 0 [He Who Eludes Death] charge OFF.

Reloaded in 18 hours 8 min 42s [Tribulation]: Tribulations are coming. Time: 22 hours 28 minutes 36 seconds.