96 The Dash (2/2)

Leaving the lake, Hod and I shot off towards the sewer indicated by our minimaps. I dived through the metal plate on top of it, drilling into the sewer. Leaving Hod behind, I shot through the walls of the sewer and the ground. With The Coming Tide, traveling through this terrain was nothing.

Within minutes, I reached Torix’s base. I shot out of the ground, landing on my feet before jogging inside the building. I ducked under the doorway, turning sideways so my shoulders didn’t catch on the doorframe. It was something I got used to as my height increased. I paced up towards Torix as he frantically interacted with his status screen.

Whenever I reached him, he turned towards me. His head tilted sideways. I frowned,

“What’s wrong?”

Torix pursed his lips, “You seem different. You are exerting a...I can’t quite put a finger on it...pull is the best word for it, I suppose.”

I shrugged, “I got an evolution in my armor. It involved becoming a living dimension this time. Crazy, I know.”

Torix shook his head, “Well, there is no reason for your unreasonable progression to cease. Where is Hod?”

Torix raised his hand, a giddy grin forming on his face, “Tell me, did he not make it?”

I rolled my eyes, “He’s alive. I travel through the sewers faster than he does is all.”

Torix’s hands flopped against his sides as he glanced at the dusty floorboards, “Oh...really...Perhaps he will die at a later date. One can hope.”

Hod stumbled inside, feathers falling off everywhere, “Hod back!”

Torix let out a deep, disappointed sigh, “We see that.”

Hod stood up, grabbing his chin. If it was anyone else, he would be mocking Torix.

“But...but Hod thought Dry Man not able to see. Dry Man have blue fires where eyes are supposed to be.”

Torix slapped the sides of his face, “I can see with these fires, you idiot.”

As if discovering something profound, Hod stared at the ground, “Hod ask Dry Man...” He glanced back up, “Does that mean all fire see like Dry Man?”

Torix dragged his bony hands across the wrinkled, dry skin on his face, “The fire I use is an enchantment. It comes with being a lich. I maintain it since it enhances a few of my senses. Unlike my eyes, most fires are simply inanimate byproducts of combustion. They are not alive like I am.”

Hod nodded his head, “Hod thank Dry Man for explanation. Fire confusing to Hod.”

Torix pursed his lips and lowered his hands, “Well then...you’re welcome.” Torix narrowed his eyes, staring at Hod, “You...you’re a higher level then me now as well. That explains why you don’t seem quite as...infantile.”

I looked over Hod’s face. He was sitting at level 1401. I forgot to check out my own level and put points into my stats. With that in mind, I opened the status screen. I was level 1594. I put all my extra points into endurance. There was no rush in power. It was a steady crawl as I expected.

I closed my status screen, seeing Hod do the same. Putting points into my attributes reminded him about his own stats. After finishing that process, a cockroach crawled along a wall nearby. As organized as Torix was, cleanliness wasn’t on the top of his priorities. I reached out with Event Horizon, disintegrating the cockroach instantly.

Torix’s head whipped up towards me, “What was that?”

I raised an eyebrow, “What do you mean? I used oppression.” I shook my head, “No, wait a second, it’s called Event Horizon now.”

Torix grimaced, his voice solemn, “That aura...it feels like an Old One.”

I bit my lip, “Really?” I blinked, “That’s unnerving. You’re supposed to be the Old One here, not me.”

Torix’s lips curled up into a slight grin, “Hah, that’s true I suppose. You’re still Daniel, though a bit more menacing now.”

He opened his status screen, sending two messages over the next few seconds. Hod slammed his fist into his outstretched palm,

“Ah, Hod get it. Dry Man old, so Harbinger say Dry Man supposed to be the old person, not Harbinger. Of course.”

I rolled my eyes, “Yes, Hod. Exactly.”

Hod wiped at his nose with a smug satisfaction, “Hod pretty smart, Hod have to admit.”

Torix took a step back, his blue fireball eyes growing in size. He turned his head, reading a message. After he finished, his hands shook. He turned towards us and shouted,

“Silence.”

He created two messages before sending them towards us.

He stared holes at us, the fires looking like wide eyes as he yelled, “Follow those routes immediately.”

I raised an eyebrow, “What is it?”

Torix raised his hands, panic leaking into his voice, “A follower has found the training center of the Steel Legion. Kessiah is fighting as we speak.”