Chapter 9-273: Planned Revelations and Returns (1/2)
-Set up a conference for representatives of the major forces and nation-states. I specifically want the heads of state for Canada and America invited, as this is going to be critical for them... Oh, and probably Mexico, too.-
-Wow!- Gregorigori /said, thinking about how to do that, and getting excited that, on behalf of Traveler, he definitely had the power to do so!
-If they don’t want to come personally, tell them not to send anyone, as it won’t be worth their time.-
-Ouch!- And cruelly direct, too. The gnome patted himself on the back for swearing in early and getting in on the ground floor for all this. Just the natural adjustments among fellow Vassals had left him in charge of tech support for most of Heavenbound Hall, to the astonishment of some of the former managers here who were now relegated to support roles.
He still personally took care of anything from their Monarch and Master Fred, without fail. -When are we scheduling this for, Lady Traveler?-
-The day of the Solstice Celebration.-
His breath hissed out. -You’re going to participate?- He could hardly imagine what the Solstice Ceremony would be like with Traveler at the center of it.
-Indeed. And show some truths to the world that are going to drive some to despair, and inspire others to fight.-
He knew that she was in Sylune’s temple here right now, administering Blessings to members of the Allegiance and Heavenbound Hall, some of whom had traveled across the Atlantic to get here for this. The fact that Markspace links worked across the planet, and Allegiance links nearly as well, was quietly transforming communication among the Good faiths and active powers very nicely, indeed.
He had thought email and telephones and texting were a huge step up...
Marks and Blessings were a ‘temporary’ way to get Stats high enough to make Four. They could be taken away by other powers. The people who got them had to make the commitment to Level up fast and get their base Stats up to a point where losing a Blessing wouldn’t instantly cripple them.
The lucky people, anywhere from one to nine a day, got the Inherent bonus from a Wish instead, which could not be lost, and guaranteed that they could start their Helix Climb.
Both methods worked. Marks via Tattoos were actually the better option of them and Blessings, but the slowest to take effect. However, the fact others could potentially learn to make the Tats and accelerate their spread was a thing that people wanted to work on, instead of only having two or three people alive being able to spread them.
Hundreds, if not a couple thousand, people would be leaving Heavenbound Hall with those Blessings, and their lives would be changing. Vivus was eating at the borders of Shroudzones, slowly and patiently and carefully.
But now, it was getting close to time, and Lady Traveler would be heading back... and the Cultivators, Daoist and Buddhist, in the Guangzhou area were going to get one of the most horrible surprises of their lives.
Would they ally to stop a Powered invader? Most certainly. They would ally, and then they would break alliance when it was convenient. Benefits of the moment were all that truly mattered, and they were competitors in the end.
But the Powered were a common enemy. Killing them was certainly something both wanted, and it really didn’t matter who did it, only that it was done.
So, what do you do when facing two foes who might potentially ally to fight you, but who are enemies?
Naturally, you only attack one of them at a time, and just watch their little alliance of convenience writhe in protest as lack of trust and willingness to have the other party eat all the losses did their thing.
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There was another storm coming in, and the Cultivators couldn’t stop it. The lightning was seething within it before it ever arrived, with its annoying rain, visibility reduction, howling winds, the terrible ringing heavenly Thunder... and the lightning coming down.
That horrible, hammering lightning, mightier than tribulation bolts, full of Primal and Divine power, and none of their lightning resistance or protection worked against it.
And then came the Shards.
They knew enough of Powered magic to identify the spell, and could even duplicate it to an extent. But the power of those endless volleys and salvoes that came streaking in around all cover and obstructions to find their targets and blow them apart in holy fire, that was quite something else.
They wanted to Challenge the Heavens. To get past Six, they needed to pass a Lightning Tribulation, Creation itself rejecting what they were.
This was not like Heaven was punishing them as they waited prepared to resist such. This was Heaven actively hunting them down like dogs!
It got even worse when she started adding Chain to her Call Lightning spells, and the falling thunderbolts started blazing out to everything hostile in the surrounding area, too.