84 Finalizing Details (2/2)
I pointed at his status above his head, “So why are you not that high a level given how old you are?”
Kessiah elbowed Torix, a malicious grin growing on her lips, “He doesn’t like fighting. He’d rather sit in a library and read a book.”
Torix rolled his eyes, “The undead receive experience penalties. Outside of that, I believe I make good use of my level, unlike some high leveled remnant I could mention.”
Kessiah crossed her arms, “Oh really now? At least I was willing to go out there and kick some ass to get to my level. You’re almost out of dungeon cores for Althea and Daniel already.”
Torix chided, “Oh yes Kessiah, we’ve seen how effective you are given your level. I recall Daniel nearly defeating you with a what, a 1500 level disadvantage? Makes you wonder if my disciple would even falter now. I’m sure he’s developed his skills instead of lounging around and relying on his innate talents.”
Althea stepped up, “Will you two please stop acting like children.”
Althea wasn't the kind of person to say that, so she got their attention. Kessiah and Torix stared at each other before Kessiah frowned at Althea,
“Are you saying we're children now? Don't get a big head just because you gained a few levels.”
Althea stood her ground, “It has nothing to do with levels. Try to think about this like we're a team, because that's what we are now.”
She pointed at Torix, ”Torix has a lot knowledge. If we use that, we can get a lot out of it.” Althea pointed a hand at Kessiah, “You’re really strong. If we use that right, we can get a lot out of it too.” Althea clapped her hands together,
“But if we use them together, we can cover a lot more ground than either could cover alone. It’s kind of like me and Daniel. We have our differences, but those difference make us better together, not worse. Both of you could do the same thing if you just stopped fighting all the time.”
After the outburst, we all stared at her. Althea speaking up like this was like a rare event. It didn't happen often, and that made it stand out. As Althea blushed, I stepped up,
“In other words, stop jabbing at each other. I get why you guys dreaded working together, but come on guys. You’re like a thousand years old or something, right? Live up to it.”
Torix narrowed his eyes, gripping his hand into a fist before sighing. He turned a palm to Kessiah, “As much as I hate admitting it, I agree with them. We're being petty. The bad history between us has a way of bringing that out. We can set it aside until after Yawm dies.”
Kessiah pursed her lips as she crossed her arms, “It was just a little bit of fun. It's better than just doing everything like we're robots, or even worse, Daniel.”
I rolled my eyes, ”That would just be terrible wouldn't it?”
Torix shrugged, ”Few things would be worse.”
I patted Althea’s back, “I didn't think you had it in you to stop these two.”
Althea blushed a deeper shade of violet as she glanced at the ground, “Just trying to help.”
Kessiah walked up, pressing a finger to my chest, “Don't think you're off the hook. I remember what you said. It sounded to me like you were trying to start a fight.”
She clenched a fist at her side. For a second, I thought she was serious. After looking a little closer, it wasn't that she was actually trying to fight. It was like she was testing me.
Taking a gamble, I shook my head, “Start a fight? Not really.” I gripped my hands into fists, “Always ready for one though.”
My armor grinned as my unique skill, Overwhelming presence pervaded outward. Kessiah's glare deepened. She held me in suspense for a moment before slapping my shoulder,
“Damn, you really grew a backbone while you were gone.” She glanced at Althea, a teasing grin on her face as she ruffled Althea’s hair, “You both did.”
Using her long, purple hair as a curtain to hide her face, Althea flushed further. Despite her embarrassment and curtain of hair, I could tell there was a reluctant smile on her lips. The group let her relish in that feeling for a minute before Hod opened his wings towards us all,
“Hod feel left out. Hod go to new home. Hod tired.”
As he walked off, I waved a hand, “Good luck Hod. Be careful.”
Hod shook his head, “Hod more careful than even Dry Man. Cut Hod some slack.”
He paced a few feet before leaping into the air. He glided upwards in a circle, following a blue screen in front of him. Hod must have already uploaded a map to his new house. He dived toward the direction his map indicated. In classic Hod fashion, he slammed straight into the side of a brick building. He might have been staring a bit too closely at that map of his.
Almost like a cartoon, he fell from the wall, leaving an imprint of himself in the brick. Althea giggled while Kessiah busted out laughing. Kessiah even pointed at him while slapping her knee. Torix and I just sighed in disappointment. Hod pointed at us, cawing, “Map dangerous. Hod know now.”
He jumped back up and glided away. That’s how the other birds left as well. It didn’t take long before the crowd of birds dispersed. Torix walked up to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. I turned back around to face him,
“What’s up?”
Torix pointed back at his laboratory house, “Before I begin on the logistics of this situation, there’s something I’d like to show you. If you have the time that is.”
“Of course I do. Let me say goodbye first then I’ll go with you.”
After saying some goodbyes to Kessiah and Althea, Torix and I traveled back to his home. I ran while he floated on a cloud of black mana. As we traveled, Torix went into a spill,
“You know, your capacity for leveling is highly unusual. I thought it would take at least another few years before you out leveled me, yet here you are, having already done the impossible. I suppose centuries spent inside a dusty old library didn’t do me as much good I thought it did. Regardless-“
He turned towards me with a glowing smile, “I’m proud of you.”
Fortunately for me, my helmet was on. Otherwise Torix would’ve seen me blush. I shook out my own embarrassment, “Thanks Torix. That means a lot.”
Torix faced forwards again, “As it should. I don’t give out compliments lightly. I don’t give out gifts lightly either, but I believe you’re ready for one when we get back. It should be a key component of your future progress.”
“What is it?”
Torix rubbed his hands together, “You’ll see when we get back.”
Within minutes, we reached back into Torix’s base of operations. The tunnels, wires, and runic inscriptions had slowly but surely turned this suburban home into an evil lair. As we paced inside, Torix announced,
“While you were gone, I went about creating your new gift. I was planning on giving it you as a means of furthering your runic studies. They seem to be the focal point of your current interests. Instead of trying to refocus your learning on necromancy, letting you traverse further into the runic arts would do you more good. It is by far your most advanced magic after all.”
I shook my head, “Not quite.”
Torix opened the door, turning to me, “What do you mean?”
I walked up to a nearby tree, just big enough for your average guy to wrap his arms around it. I set up my telekinetic augments, firing my ascendant mana, and drove my fist into the nearby tree all at once. Before my fist landed, a gravitational vortex snapped right were my fist was headed. As my hand impacted the vortex, my hand blew backwards like firing a cannon. The impact shot through the telekinetic augment, firing a bullet of kinetic energy at the tree.
The tree blew up. The entire trunk evaporated, splinters and sawdust floating through the air. The tree fell towards the house, but I grabbed it with telekinesis. Using a gravity warp for assistance, I pulled the tree sideways. As it fell to the ground, Torix froze in place.
I turned to him,
”It's called Volatile Carnage.”