Chương 179: Chapter 177 – Eldritch Evolutions

Howie tapped the screen.

"This anomalous stacking corruptive property bit is interesting. I'm not saying take it. In fact, I'm saying don't take it, because it's not worth the risk. But if we take the best-case scenario, it would be something like a stacking debuff that eventually causes enemies to melt or explode or something else lethal. Their death would then continue to trigger the effect in other marked targets, eventually leading to a critical mass that wipes out every marked target." Just how many targets could he mark at once.

As far as Cole knew, there wasn't a numerical limit—or at least, he'd never been in an environment target-rich enough to reach one. But the indiscriminate killing of things he wasn't even aiming at… at least with the kinetic redirections, they only affected groups he was actively shooting at.

"What about worst-case?" asked Cole. Howie shrugged.

"It makes them a feel a little icky, makes them shit themselves, or makes them go berserk and attack the nearest thing—which would probably be Roxy or Besson or you. Also, if they exploded, probably also bad for Roxy and Besson and you."

"Probably," said Cole.

"You're right. Not worth the risk."

"It is tempting, though…" Howie scrolled up and looked at the Alpha path and scoffed.

"This one. No-brainer." Cole re-read the entry.

"But it's also got an anomalous property affecting my bullets themselves. What if that's a worst-case thing where they explode inside my gun or melt halfway to the target?"

"Well, I doubt it would be anything to make them less lethal. But yeah, you're right, it could be detrimental for your build or your combat style. Still, I think that risk is worth it considering the rest of the ability. It makes your entire team hit both harder and more accurately. And think of the improved situational awareness from being able to see your marks."

"It'll affect me twice," said Cole. He hefted the rifle again.

"This thing counts as a minion." Howie looked down at the little curling tentacles.

"For real—you know what? That makes sense. I hate it. Just those two ev paths?" Cole showed him the charlie path, as well. Howie raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, yeah, that's probably the safest. It's interesting that it does something to enemy charges, though, even if we don't know what."

"I'm betting I know what it does," said Cole.

"The big snake thing at Oak Ridge hit me with an ability that zeroed out my charges. I don't know how strong the shockwave would be, but my guess is it dampens or reduces charge energy in the target."

"So you land, and they go to burn an ability to kill you and then… nothing happens. That would definitely throw someone off their game." Howie scrolled back up to the other two evolutions.

"I wonder if these other errors are both about something to do with charges. Charge energy is very poorly understood by DOR, especially in monsters. It's no wonder the analyzers would have trouble identifying effects related to it."

"That's a big assumption," said Cole.

"Still, I think you're right. Alpha path is the way to go, even if it does something mysterious to my outgoing rounds. What's your ev track looking like?" Howie grinned.

"Well, the one I'm leaning towards lets me manifest ethereal launchers as well as the munitions themselves. It won't have affixes—yet—but it's one less thing to ruck and I can adjust to any situation as needed. Anti-air? I gotchu. Need a long-range penetrator? Easy day. The best part? I don't even have to hold them. They hover!"

"That's… fucking awesome," said Cole. Cole tried to imagine himself with two assault rifles over each shoulder spitting rounds like some sci-fi mech suit. His rifle must have picked up on his surface thoughts, because it sent him a pang of jealousy. Cole adjusted his mental image to include him firing the ravenous rifle as well, which placated the otherworld armament. He smiled, then raised his voice.

"Wayland," If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

"Yeah, bossman?" asked Wayland, jogging up.

"You got an evolution from that dragon?" Wayland nodded.

"Yessir. My first divergence." Cole waited expectantly. It took Wayland about ten seconds to figure out that he was supposed to continue talking.

"Oh, uh, four paths it said. One to enhance blood curses, one to enhance my blood sense, and the last two enhance my blood blessings." He looked over at Cole.

"You need me to build a certain way?" Cole considered.

"Ultimately, your evolution paths are your own choice. I will say, your blood sense has some overlap with my target marking, so I wouldn't lean towards that too heavy while you're slumming it with us." He thought back to the team meeting after Hexighast.

"Our biggest weakness right now is we're vulnerable to psychic attacks and curses. I hate to admit it, but I made you carry my water on Curahee when that mage cursed me. You being able to mitigate curses is a big part of why I brought you on and I'd bet other team leads will be kicking themselves for not recruiting you first once they realize what you bring to a team. If you see ev paths that shore up mental defenses or defense against curses, consider them.

That'll be valuable to you wherever you go and even if you decide you'd rather be on a different team." Wayland pulled his analyzer out and scrolled over his options.

"I think this fourth path might be something like that. Changes my Blessed Blood spell to Tempered Blood, along with some other effects. That's the spell I used on you to help you get back to basecamp with that zombie."

"What's it do?" asked Howie." Blessed Blood is a broad enhancement that adds a multiplier to all enhancements and a resistance to curses. Making it tempered further enhances Resilience but also gives resistance to poison, fear, and despair effects."

"Are fear and despair effects psychic attacks?" asked Cole. Wayland shrugged.

"I would think some psychic attacks inflict them. But resistance to the things that psychic attacks inflict might as well be resistance to psychic. Transitive property."

"I'm not sure algebra applies in Lewis Fields," said Cole.

"Maybe not," said Howie, "but I think it would definitely send him down a status immunity path, I think," said Howie.

"You said you think twice."

"I do a lot of thinking. Hopefully that extra courage doesn't make us stupid when we should be scared, yeah?"

"That's how you get what happened to Deadlight," said Cole.

"I don't want anyone on this team dying because they disrespected a threat. Ever."

"Don't gotta tell me, twice," said Howie. Wayland looked at his analyzer again.

"Well, the other path turns it into Burning Blood. That one leans more towards Speed and Strength and also makes any blood from a wound you take splash with fire damage. Fire and ice damage resist with that one."

"That's pretty sick, too," said Howie.

"Yeah, until you bleed on your magazines and your rounds start to cook off in your vest," said Cole.

"Ah, there's that." They reached the threshold of one of the airfield barracks. The fox-people aircraft were distinctly different from the Saltpeak designs but looked like they functioned on the same crystals as the rest of their 'technology'. Getting a closer look, it seemed like most of the people on this island had slightly different mutations—even down to some walking primarily on all fours when not performing a task. Some just looked like large, extra lean animals with vaguely human proportions.

Ashfeather returned.

"We'll shelter here for a time and make repairs while the pilots rest before continuing to the temple. I must speak with the priests of She Who Weaves Through Twisted Boughs." Cole looked inside the barracks. Rather than discrete rooms, a spiral platform carved out of the tree's interior climbed up the inside of the hollow. rows of cots lined the walls, filled with fox warriors, mechanics, and now exhausted Saltpeak flight crews and fighters. Cole clicked his tongue.

On this world or any other, he'd recognize the transient tent. Open bays, no privacy, listening to coughing and farting all night. At least people weren't making phone calls or streaming movies without headphones. Perfect for meditation.

"Rox, take the first watch, will you? Howie, Wayland and I gotta meditate."

"Must be nice, dragonslayer," she teased, elbowing him slightly harder than was friendly as she moved to drop her pack beside a wooden pallet with a few blankets on it. She turned her back to him and spread her poncho out on top. Cole grinned. She was just salty because he'd finally passed her up in enhancement level. As soon as they got back to Earth she'd probably be looking to piggyback another team's mission to put herself back on top. Cole inspected his own bedding.

Not seeing any fleas or bedbugs, he still aped Roxy and spread a barrier layer down before pulling out his woobie. The fox island wasn't any warmer than Saltpeak had been. With that done, he sat down, took a long sip from his canteen, and leaned back against the wall to start his meditative breathing. If anything, once he closed his eyes, he felt closer to being back in the Army than he had since coming to DOR.

The sounds (and smells) of the transient barracks seemed to be multiversal, other than the faint odor of wet dog that wasn't coming from Nutmeg or Clove. Eventually, the sounds faded away. Cole opened his eyes to see where his subconscious would take him this time.