Chương 8

While sleeping, Zuri dreamt of her sister's smile. Of Tanya's hand on her head and the confident reassurance as she left their home.

"I'll be fine, I'll be fine! Plus this is a good opportunity. The client-" The client- Zuri sat up in the dark, worry flushing through her system. Even as she blearily looked at the rock around her, her sharpened senses catalogued the environment. Her wounds had been bandaged. She lay on a sleeping pad. Nearby, a glowing orb of fire crackled. Above it, a chunk of flesh roasted.

"You made a fire?" Zuri couldn't help but ask. Geos were blind but very sensitive to air currents. The heat from a fire- depending on the winds, could draw dozens of geos in this direction. A blonde-haired young man, sitting on the opposite side of the fire, paused. He looked at her.

"Not really a fire. Just an ember. They don't last long though." On cue, the glowing bit of energy began to fade. The young man shook his head, almost disappointed. Then, before she could stop him, he leaned forward and took a bite of the hunk of slightly smoked flesh. Her flesh crawled as she looked at it; that was definitely geo. Didn't this young man worry about pollution?

"The taste?" Zuri asked, her eyes widening. The young man shook his head.

"Still bad." He did, she noted, chew and swallow before setting it to the side.

"As I said, I'm Zuri," She finally continued, when the young man seemed content to sit in silence. She looked around at the crack in the ground.

"You've been camped out here for a while? That's pretty impressive. After all you've done for me, I'd hate to ask, but my partner is still out there. Ambushed by a dozen geos and had to split up. If you have any spare supplies, I would owe you a favor."

"I'm Kirk," The young man said. And as though he had expected her request, he pointed to two piles of supplies on the ground.

"Take one." Zuri looked where he was pointing. Two sets of supplies had been set up, mirroring each other almost exactly. She frowned at the strange symmetry of the two piles. Something clicked into place.

"You are giving me half of what you have?" Zuri gave Kirk a long look. He had an easy to look at face. Serious, but well-shaped. Yet she didn't trust the generosity. He nodded.

"Half seems fair, when you don't have any."

"Thank you." Even if this Kirk was strange, she wasn't about to reject the help. She gestured to the Larian saber, leaning against the side of the crack.

"In exchange for the supplies, you are welcome to the Larian."

"You are going to leave your weapon?" Kirk asked. Zuri laughed.

"That enormous waste of weight? By the Great Wound, I would never bother with it. I prefer hatchets. Just lost mine, trying to protect my partner. The Larian Saber was part of the loot we found; a pair of silver Conduits were ambushed by two geo-4s yesterday. One made it out and is in critical condition, but the other died and left their entire haul here. That's what me and my partner are doing, trying to recover their equipment. Plus-" Zuri focused on the young man in front of her. She frowned slightly.

Her supernatural senses, granted to her as Tier I Conduit, told her that there was a lot of energy within Kirk. Not as much as a Tier I, but he must have a rare Archetype almost ready to Ascend.

"Larian weaponry are a boon to Ascensions. Basically, a free catalytic, without you having to pay an alchemist an arm and a leg. It will help you a lot."

"What does it do?" For the first time, Kirk's eyes flashed with interest. Zuri chuckled; nothing was quite like the desire a 0 had to become Tier I.

"How much do you know about Ascension?"

"Just that I need to finish my specific task, and also gather some feats," Kirk replied. Zuri nodded.

"Those are both true. But also, catalytics are critical. They are your Ascensions fuel. Those rare materials Conduits bleed to harvest and haul back from the Rift? Alchemist turn those into catalytics. While the pollution in the ambient rift energy makes Ascension here dangerous, you can do the same outside the Rift, with enough catalytics."

"Is the Rift air really polluted?" Kirk frowned. Zuri opened her mouth to answer, but then hesitated. Well, compared to eating geo tartar- In the end, she decided to ignore the boy's question.

"The more Feats and special materials are involved, the more Refinements you can earn during Ascension. Refinements nudge your Archetype in certain directions. In the case of this Larian saber-" Zuri pointed.

"Holding that, and handling it a bit before, will make sure you receive a Refinement related to your body."

"Is it like a formula?" Kirk scratched his chin.

"What sort of Refinements you receive?"

"Hell no." Zuri snorted.

"I wish. Archetypes… yea. So much can change, based on the feats, the decisions, the cursed weather. You can make as many preparations as you want, but you never really end up achieving what you want."

"The weather solves itself, doesn't it?" Kirk said.

"What?" Zuri looked at him. Kirk frowned and looked at the ground, considering. Zuri hesitated, almost reversing course. Not only was this blonde boy slightly- well, quite strange, but he also seemed naive. Now that she thought about it, he clearly had a Rune related to fire. Its effects weren't strong, but she had seen him successfully use it twice in a row. That took practice and discipline.

If he Ascended to the next Tier with a Larian weapon in hand, the first refinement he received would be related to the physical body. It might not be as useful as an improvement related to his Archetype. It's his life. I made the offer- if nothing else, he should know he can just sell back to the clan. Zuri told herself. They shook on the deal, after she gave back half again the supplies Kirk offered.

"Are you going to be here for a while?" She asked. He nodded.

"Maybe a day or two more."

"We might swing back your way. Shouldn't take long to pop him free." She waved.

"Great doing business with you, Kirk." Her body rapidly recovered, despite the somewhat sloppy job Kirk had done bandaging her. After she moved some distance away and passed through the green mist barrier, she glanced behind. Seems like just coincidentally here. No danger to interfere with our operation, and he might even help us sell the cover. Just one problem, Zuri frowned. Why does he seem so familiar…?

Kirk considered this Larian saber, leaning against the side of his little crack abode. He weighed the possible benefits, a direction for these 'refinements', during Ascension against the very real weight of the weapon. More benefits were better, right? That's why he had forced himself to chew and swallow the geo meat, earning the second star in the Alien Taste Feat. But how should he incorporate this? When he could barely lift it? Kirk had just begun to shake his head when he felt his Archetypes stir.

The blurry phantom of the Beast appeared and pranced over to the saber. It circled the weapon and then rubbed its body against it, like an affectionate tabby. Kirk blinked.

"You are friendlier with the saber than you are with me?" The Beast sniffed; we are one and the same. Why bother to be affectionate with myself? If anything, this response only made Kirk more flummoxed, feeling something was wrong. Yet his eyes caught another detail. As the Beast Archetype circled the Larian Saber… the vagueness of its body faded, just a little bit. The sharpness of its eyes became clearer. The muscular lines of its body were refined.

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it. That should be proof, then. There is something about this Saber that aids Archetypes in growing. Kirk considered the weapon once more. After a few seconds of listening to make sure no geos were nearby, he walked over to the gleaming blade. The weapon had a natural beauty. The edge was long and slate grey. The handle and the short amount of backing on the saber were lined with gold.

On the pommel was carved the head of a monster, although time had blunted the lines and made it ambiguous. Kirk took a deep breath, put both hands on the hilt, and lifted. The muscles of his arms and shoulders cramped and complained, but he managed to heave it upward. He kept the blade pointing skyward- every time he leaned it one way or another, he almost tipped over trying to keep it balanced. It was a weapon designed for either someone twice his size or someone twice as strong.

Will holding the weapon during Ascension make me strong enough to wield it? Kirk felt a tickle of avarice as he thought about it. Doubly so after witnessing Zuri wielding the weapon. Not unlimited power, but more than I have now. He licked his lips.

"And Ascension will be soon, too, won't it?" Ascension: Death Eating (25/30) Kirk sighed and eased the weapon onto the ground. Considering the tides in the mists, by this time tomorrow, he should have slain enough geos for his Ascension Quest. Then there is the matter of these catalytics. Kirk frowned. Do I need them for Ascension? Zuri seemed to imply the only reason to use them was because you couldn't Ascend within the Rift due to pollution.

His Beast Archetype was vehement- no such pollution dusted its sensitive nose. Yet all these were predicated on one detail: his ability to Ascend. So Kirk bided his time. When the geo-3s wandered his way, he went out to meet them. He continued to practice and improve his Ember Rune. With these last few geos, he deliberately allowed two corpses to sit for a time before cutting into them. As he suspected, the core vanished and the meat lingered. He forced himself to try one more bite of geo meat.

Immediately, he grimaced and wretched. And Alien Taste didn't even have the decency to add another star. As a soft reset between the activities, Kirk hefted the Larian Saber, testing its weight and balance. His shoulders complained, but he grew familiar with the heft. He attempted once to bring the weapon to battle; that was a disaster. All he could manage was the initial chop, basically letting the weapon fall forward.

When that missed, he had to engage in a desperate fight the old-fashioned way, without the benefit of the opening salvo of an Ember. After having killed his 29th geo, Kirk tried another new thing. He waited with his palms slightly sweaty; although he didn't know much else about this life, he knew that through Ascension, he could change it. All Conduits sought to Ascend. The higher their Tier, the more they could accomplish.

And skulking around in this crack in the rock was a far cry from preventing tragedies like he had witnessed, right after his Awakening. So when he heard the skittering claws approaching, he released a long breath. He leveraged his body up to the edge of the crack, gripping his short spear. His shield, now battered and scraped after four days inside the rift, was a familiar weight in the other arm. Rather than start with his Rune, Kirk just exploded out and bull rushed the geo-3 as it neared.

The vicious creature wheeled around, already slobbering at the prospective prey. Kirk feinted left then shifted and struck hard when the geo flinched. His spear ripped through the muscles of his stomach. Growling, the creature lunged forward, but Kirk smashed its face with his shield before dancing backward. In that moment it was stunned, he sucked in a long breath and released five sharp syllables. Even as he finished, the energy for Ember spun together.

Yet he winced; despite all his practice, it was still slightly off to conjure the Rune in the midst of battle. He wasn't surprised at all when, after the energy condensed into a burning Ember, it immediately exploded. The sparks showered the geo's face, causing it to shake its head, which Kirk took as a victory. He closed the distance while it was distracted and began tearing into geo's interior flesh with the spear. After a few blows, it twitched and collapsed. Kirk paused and listened, but the area seemed clear.

He pulled out his butcher knife and hacked through the outer muscle, finding the core quickly. To his great pleasure, he felt a hum of recognition from the core; it was fire attuned. Yet his joy was short-lived. Even as the geo-3 corpse began to flake and turn to ash, his head snapped up and his eyes widened. Something was coming through the green mist threshold now, only a short distance away. He felt a spike of fear; how had this foe snuck so close without him noticing?

It was a sharp reminder not to rely on his Manifestations too much. He was, after all, just a Tier 0. Kirk's tension remained as the green mist exploded, but revealed a slight easterner with short hair and impassive features. Kirk's fingers gripped his spear, even as he tucked the core in a pouch. He eyed the unfamiliar Conduit warily. Only when the green mist exploded outward again and a much cheerier looking Zuri pushed her way through did Kirk finally relax.

"With your timely assistance, I saved this man's life," Zuri said, draping her arm over her partner's shoulder.

"Kirk, meet Maett. Maett, this is the mysterious Kirk."

"Charmed, I'm sure," Maett rolled his eyes and slapped Zuri's hand away.

"You mean to tell me you found this tall glass of champagne under a rock in a blasted Rift, do you?" Kirk pointed at himself. Tall glass of champagne?

"I was bleeding out and dying at the time. I barely was even looking at all." Zuri gave an exaggerated sigh.

"I practically collapsed into his arms. Don't situations like this just happen to everyone?" Maett muttered several sharp words that Kirk didn't catch, even with his Enhanced Senses. Then the other man stepped forward, facing Kirk directly. Kirk managed to keep himself from flinching. Even now, it was difficult to face the focused attention of an individual. Especially after how many people seemed to stare, no matter where he went. But this attention was different. Maett offered a hand.

"Truly, you have my deepest thanks. I heard you were more than generous with your offerings. It is the first tenant of the Conduit Code; to your fellows generosity and your foes ferocity. Yet all too few keep in mind those ideals. We will not forget this favor." They shook hands. Maett's was small but insistent.

"Perhaps soon, a rousing toast…?"

"You just want to drink," Zuri flicked her hand out and hit the back of Maett's arm. Her smile vanished and her expression became stiff.

"Besides, we will be quite busy for a time. Recovering."

"Obviously," Maett nodded. The duo departed. Kirk released a small breath. My first connection, that know me for who I am, not who I was. But now that they are gone- Kirk grinned. He touched his copper band.

Name: Kirkland Albion Archetype: Spark Mage (0) -Runes: Summon Ember -Manifestations: [None] -Ascension: Cultivation (Fire 0/1) Archetype: Beast (0) -Runes: [None] -Manifestations: Heighten Senses -Ascension: Death Eating (30/30) Feats: -Solo Kills ✷✷✷ -Alien Taste ✷✷ -Alien Moon ✷ -One Strike Kill ✷✷ -Runic Castor ✷ -Crisis Assistance ✷ Now was time for his first Ascension. The Beast phantom manifested and capered around him, filled with eagerness.

And even though it wasn't the subject of this anticipation, Kirk felt a slight twitch from the warm ember of his Spark Mage Archetype. Instantly, those sharp eyes of the Beast phantom flashed. It pounced forward, pinning the Spark to the ground.

Yet the other Archetype didn't react, didn't dodge, didn't even respond. The Beast pawed it several times, hissed in distaste, but still strutted away from this defeated foe. Kirk pressed his fingers to the copper band and focused his thoughts on the completed Ascension Quest. His awareness shifted. The band on his arm tightened and began to heat. More text appeared. Ascension initiated! Please have everything prepared. Please Select Feats you wish to use to advance.

Please note: as you are Ascending to Tier I, you will need at least two Feats. In addition, for each (2) Feat Stars beyond the required, you will earn the chance for a Refinement. Kirk nodded several times in quick succession; that confirmed what he had believed before. But for now- He poked his head up out of his little crack. He spent a few seconds listening, trying not to be distracted by the periodic pulses from his band.

Only belatedly, as he crouched back down, did he realize that the energy pulses had synced up with his heartbeat. Kirk climbed back down and picked up the Larian Saber. He released a long breath, holding it up. Hopefully the Ascension wouldn't take too long. It seems fair. Kirk reflected. The Beast Archetype is very sure that the energy here isn't polluted. So let's allow it to Ascend first, and see how it goes. He turned his focus to his Feats.

Feats: -Solo Kills ✷✷✷ -Alien Taste ✷✷ -Alien Moon ✷ -One Strike Kill ✷✷ -Runic Castor ✷ -Crisis Assistance ✷ Immediately, he had a distracting thought. Kirk frowned. Should I pour all the high Feats into the Beast Archetype? Or save some for Ember Mage? If I use them now, can I earn them again before the other's Ascension? His brain spun. He tried to phrase the thought generally, but still didn't receive any feedback from his body. Apparently, he didn't know the answer to that question.

Which made sense, because from all the documentation, individuals only had a single Archetype. Kirk scratched his head.

"I have six Feats, for a total of 10 Feat Stars. That would be four chances for Refinement. Maybe, just in case, I save two Feats for Spark Mage? Just one-star ones…" While the Ember Rune was useful, he relied much more on Enhanced Senses to safely navigate the rift. Therefore, he selected Solo Kill, Alien Taste, Alien Moon, and One Strike Kill for a total of 8 stars. The pulsing of the band increased in frequency and Kirk felt his body beginning to sweat- Error! Ascension aborted.

Please complete your Ascension Quest before proceeding: Cultivate Fire (0/1). Kirk just looked at the band as it faded back to its usual mundane form.

"I'm not trying to Ascend that one." Kirk tried again. Once more, the swelling crescendo of energy jerked to a stop. The notification repeated. His expression darkened, but in the end, he sighed. In some ways, the world is fair. Just like everyone else, I need to Ascend my Archetype all at once. I just have two.