Chapter 126: Poison Pill (1/2)
Announcement
I will be taking a break for Christmas, meaning no new chapters next week. The story will resume the regular schedule the following week.
It was late morning, the sun high in the sky. Clive arrived at the cloud palace, finding someone standing near the platform that touched the shore.
“Acolyte Pellin,” he greeted.
“Mister Standish,” she greeted in return.
“Are you waiting for something?” he asked.
“I’m waiting for Mr Asano,” she said. “I’m going to deliver a gift from my goddess, as promised.”
“Jason has been gone for almost two weeks,” Clive said. “I take it, as an acolyte of Knowledge, that you know something I don’t.”
“He’s on the Adventure Society campus right now,” she said. “He’s speaking with Cassandra Mercer and will be done shortly.”
Clive looked up at the towering cloud palace.
“Then I think I’ll wait as well,” he said. “My days have been busy, but I can spare a few minutes. It must be an odd experience, having knowledge placed into your mind by your goddess.”
“I’m told the sensation is similar to using a skill book,” Gabrielle said. “I’ve never used one myself but it’s gentler than a skill book, from what I’m told. The goddess doesn’t impart so much information at once.”
“I always imagined it would be disconcerting,” he said. “I’ve spent so much of my life in pursuit of knowledge that having it just turn up in my head would be quite alarming.”
“The goddess is aware of your pursuit, Mr Standish, and she loves you for it.”
“Oh, um… thanks?”
“He’s here,” she said, turning away from Clive.
Clive followed her gaze to spot, spotting Jason and becoming slightly alarmed at what he saw. Jason was still wearing his battle robes, which he rarely did in the city. His gaze was normally sharp and focused or roaming and observant, but today he looked puffy-eyed and disoriented.
“I don’t suppose your goddess told you if he’s been drinking?” Clive asked.
“He hasn’t,” Gabrielle said. “Cassandra Mercer just ended their relationship.”
“Oh,” Clive said sadly, then turned a narrow gaze on Gabrielle. “I think I’m starting to understand why Jason complains about your goddess and privacy.”
Gabrielle gave Clive a disapproving glare.
“She is Knowledge,” Gabrielle said. “Knowledge is hers to disseminate as she sees fit.”
Jason drew closer, giving Clive a sad and tired smile.
“G’day Clive; it’s been a while.”
He greeted Gabrielle with a nod. “Acolyte.”
“Mr Asano.”
Jason turned back to Clive.
“They must be keeping you busy at the Magic Society by now.”
“They are,” Clive said. “I don’t have answers, yet, but I’m making progress.”
“How’s your new assistant?”
“She has some unusual gaps in her knowledge, but she works hard and learns fast. Everything I could hope for.”
“Good. Have they been talking about bringing in more astral magic specialists?”
“Haven’t you heard?” Clive asked.
“Heard what?” Jason asked. “I’ve been chasing monsters through wetlands for two weeks.”
“The events in our astral space were not unique. There have been incidents in other astral spaces all around the world.”
“That’s disturbing,” Jason said. His unfocused expression grew sharp as his muddled brain started turning over.
“It explains why there were no opponents above silver in ours for an operation of that scale,” he said. “Whoever they are, they needed their high-rankers for the high-magic areas. There was no reason to anticipate gold-rank adventurers here, so they could save them for other regions.”
“That’s been the consensus,” Clive said. “At least it means that if I don’t manage to unveil their intentions, many others are working on the problem elsewhere.”
“Don’t talk yourself down, Clive,” Jason said. “If you’re not convinced you have the goods, I’ll be convinced for you. You’ll get there.”
“Thank you,” Clive said. “Look, I have to go speak with Rufus but I wanted to check in on you. You’ve had people worried, taking off without a word like that.”
“Sorry,” Jason said. “I’m fine, as you see.”
“Yes,” Clive said, unconvinced. “It’s good to see you back.”
Clive cast an uncertain gaze at Gabrielle.
“I’m sorry about Cassandra, Jason.”
Jason’s face went very still, then turned slowly on the acolyte.
“Thank you, Clive,” he said, voice flinty as his eyes locked onto Gabrielle. “Come find me when you have some free time. We'll get a drink.”
“It may be a little while but that sounds good,” Clive said. He set out across the cloud bridge to enter the palace.
“I shouldn’t have told him that,” Gabrielle said apologetically.
“You shouldn’t even know about it. I know I’ve been jokey about your goddess and her privacy issues but she had no right to tell you that.”
Gabrielle’s expression went stiff.
“She’s a goddess, Mr Asano. She has whatever rights she wants.”
“I’d respond to that, but she already knows what I have to say because I do. In case she doesn’t tell you, it involved a lot of bad language and several physiologically implausible suggestions.”
“You should show her more respect.”
“Respect is earned.”
“She earned it by being a goddess.”
“That’s a tyrant’s reasoning. If you’ll excuse me, I’m leaving.”
“Wait. I came here to give you something.”
She had a small satchel slung over her shoulder, from which she took a wooden case. Holding it out, she opened it to reveal three objects in the padded interior. Two were awakening stones and the other a small stone square. It looked similar to the world-phoenix token in Jason’s inventory, but a washed-out blue colour instead of vibrant red.
“She knows that you will confront the people responsible for the death of your friend,” Gabrielle said. “She expects you to encounter them more than once. She chose a gift that would better prepare you for those encounters.”
Jason touched a hand to the first awakening stone.
Item: [Divine Awakening Stone of Inevitability] (transcendent rank, epic)
An awakening stone crafted by a god to bestow a specific aura power. (consumable, awakening stone).
Requirements: Doom essence, unawakened doom essence ability, no aura essence ability.Effect: Awakens the aura essence ability [Inevitable Demise].You have 3 unawakened essence abilities.You do not meet the requirements to use this item.
Jason frowned at the description, which troubled him in several regards. He focused on the listed ability.
Ability: [Inevitable Demise] (Doom)
Aura (magic).Cost: None.Cooldown: None.Effect (iron): Enemies within the aura have any affliction immunities, including inherent immunities, treated as complete resistance. This resistance can be reduced by ordinary resistance-reduction effects. This is a magic effect.
He wasn’t able to use the stone as each person could only awaken the one aura. Presuming the tablet was some kind of solution to that, it was the next object he touched. the square tablet.
Item: [Soul-Purgation Tablet (aura)] (transcendent rank, legendary)
???. (consumable, ???).
Effect: ???.Uses remaining: 1/1.You meet the requirements to use this item. Use Y/N?
Like the world-phoenix token, this item was too powerful for Jason’s ability to discern its characteristics. After looking at it for a moment, the description changed.
Item: [Soul-Purgation Tablet (aura)] (transcendent rank, legendary)
A tablet with the power to remove an aura essence ability. Cannot be forcibly used on another by any means. (consumable, soul-shaping).
Requirements: Awakened aura essence ability.Effect: Removes an existing aura essence ability.Uses remaining: 1/1.Warning: Information on this item has been provided by an outside source and cannot be verified.You meet the requirements to use this item. Use Y/N?
He didn’t even realise that removing an essence ability was even possible, unless it was a god taking away what they’d given out themselves. After looking over the description for a moment, he touched the second awakening stone.
Item: [Divine Awakening Stone of Persistence] (transcendent rank, rare)
An awakening stone crafted by a god to bestow a specific spell. (consumable, awakening stone).
Requirements: Dark essence, unawakened dark essence ability.Effect: Awakens the spell essence ability [Curse of Isolation].You have 3 unawakened essence abilities.You meet the requirements to use this item. Use Y/N?