The stone below him was boiling, and he had effectively shoved his face straight into it. But it wasn't fatal, or was at least less fatal than simply waiting to die in the sun. This was something, and he could work with something. If this chair was made of wood it would burn, if it was made of stone it would melt.
[Notice: Status effect increased]
[Burning, Tier II (+1) -> Burning, Tier III]
He would probably die from the molten lava if it did that, but that would be a faster death than just boiling alive, so he decided to hope the chair was made of wood instead. After all, if the chair was made of wood, then so were the Sigils in it. He didn't really understand how they worked, but he guessed that burning them out of the chair would let him use Blazing and Fabrication again, and if he could do that then there was the slimmest chance he would survive this.
[Notice: Status effect increased]
[Burning, Tier III (+1) -> Burning, Tier IV]
He had to admit it wasn't the best plan in the world, and it was based on a lot of hopes and prayers about stuff he had only learnt about all of ten minutes ago, but between sheer luck and certain death he thought gambling was the only real option. He just had to start Blazing the chair, and he'd either start Blazing it when the Sigils burnt or die faster from the molten rock.
Kaelen: Unless it's not something that burns or melts...
[Notice: Status effect increased]
[Burning, Tier IV (+1) -> Burning, Tier V]
Then he'd probably end up dying of dehydration. It's not like his burn wounds could be infected, this sun would deal with any of that. Luckily for him he often shaved his head and Blazed his hair for some quick extra Lux so his hair was short enough that it wouldn't catch on fire. Now that wouldn't be fun at all. And with that he had run out of things to distract himself with, and only had the searing pain all over his body to focus on. Every inch of his body was being cooked alive.
Kaelen: I wonder what the temperature is...
[Notice: Status effect increased]
[Burning, Tier V (+1) -> Burning, Tier VI]
Then he felt it. The chair had been set alight. Whatever it was made of didn't burn easily, he'd just have to hope the Sigils burned before he died of dehydration. A short time later his internal Lux clicked and began to grow as he began to Blaze the chair and all he could do was laugh.
[Notice: Status effect re-enabled]
[Notice: Status effect increased]
[Burning, Tier VI (+1) -> Burning, Tier VII]
[Health Points: 25/25 (-7) -> 18/25]
And now! He focused intensely and tried to increase his rate of Blazing. Blazing and Fabrication almost always occurred at the exact same rate even between people. Oddly the rate wasn't seemingly decided by Lux count or Lux density as far as he could tell - Not that he understood or knew the measurement well enough to be sure. - But by the physical size of what you were doing it with.
[Notice: Status effect increased]
[Burning, Tier VII (+1) -> Burning, Tier VIII]
[Health Points: 18/25 (-8) -> 10/25]
The only times you could change your rate were either with immense practice with Blazing/Fabricating the item, in times of great danger, or with multiple points of contact. Luckily for him this was all three of those. He had Blazed hundreds of chairs. Thousands even. Nobody really noticed the odd missing chair in places like restaurants, so he got away with Blazing one or two every day for the past few years. This was his speciality after weapons. After he focused, the chair Blazed much quicker, and he Blazed everything else around him that he could. His clothes, the gag, the rope, the ground, even whatever muscles he thought he probably wouldn't need. Probably.
He knew he'd regret that later, but he was actively dying so he had better things to think about. Now he needed to Fabricate something, and fast, as without a chair to block what it could of the sun, his raw skin was facing it and burning even faster than it had before.
Kaelen: But what the hell could block out that sun? What kind of material prevents all light from passing through?
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
It hit Kaelen like a train.
Kaelen: No... That can't be it. Can it?
[Notice: Status effect increased]
[Burning, Tier VIII (+1) -> Burning, Tier IX]
[Health Points: 10/25 (-9) -> 1/25]
He had let the shadows consume him, filling every part of him for hours on end. He knew the shadows like the back of his hand. Well enough to Fabricate whatever it was that made them. Whatever it was blocked out the light completely. He just had to hope he had enough Lux to Fabricate enough to protect him.
Kaelen: Might as well try!
His Lux went black and rose off of him in a thick black mist, Fabricating a shield of complete blackness, blocking the sun's light. Immediately the stones below him began cooling and he used the rest of his Lux to Fabricate some water to cool down the stones and some shoes to move onwards. He had won. He had survived being thrown into the open light. He stood up, the dark shield following him, still covering his back and blocking the sun.
[Lux: 31 (-31) -> 0]
[Notice: Status effect nullified]
[Notice: Status effect increased]
[Burning, Tier IX (+1) -> Burning, Tier XI]
Kaelen, smiling: Darkness my old friend...
He had stopped the sun from killing him, but now he needed to escape. Staring down the masked man, he knew that that wasn't going to happen. He needed a way out. He couldn't win against this thing, he was willing to do anything-
???: Swear.
Kaelen: What? Who's there?
???: I offer you a pact. Give up your body to someone else and I shall bestow up you a Sigil strong enough so that none may kill you.
His status effect had stopped increasing. What the hell was happening right now?
???: Let yourself succumb to the void, leave your mind and I will replace it with that of someone else's, and bestow the body an immortal Sigil. It is your only way to- Live pass this event.
Kaelen: Who are you?
???: Do you swear or not?
Kaelen: I don't. What would happen to me? Get replaced by someone else? No thanks. I'm good.
???: It is the only way out. You shall be rewarded handsomely. You think these Circus Lights will stop with just you? Who do you think will be next? The only way to prevent further damage is allowing yourself to be replaced.
Kaelen: You're blackmailing me. You're threatening Talyndra.
???: I am. It is still the truth.
Kaelen: And Talyndra?
???: Will be fine if you accept the pact.
Kaelen: And me?
???: You shall be granted one final chance one day, to come to an agreement with him on what to do with the body.
Kaelen: ... Who is he?
???: You'd like him.
Kaelen: Fine! I give up.
He had thought of everything he could, any way to escape the vengeful sun. He knew he was going to die, and so decided to make the pact knowing exactly what it would do to him. He needed the Sigil, and needed it fast, before he died.
???: Then may the pact's full details manifest. The first Save Point is decided, and the first Save State is to be shifted.
The world around him bent itself, and he found himself rebound to the chair, the gag back in his mouth. He felt his mind begin to dissolve- shattering, splintering, and being separated from his own body as the insides shifted, even slightly refilling with Lux to what he had started the day with. He was being replaced.
-Abel Cyrus-
Abel: Just let me sleep...
He was tired, truly and properly tired. Lying on his bed, Abel Cyrus tried any way he could to claim any amount of sleep that he could. He had been awake for almost three days straight by that point and felt like he could well and truly die if he didn't go to sleep right here, right now.
Madlyn: No, you know we have things to do today.
Abel: Don't care. I'm tired.
And yet his sister, Madlyn Cyrus, was trying to prevent him from finally claiming his slumber.
Madlyn: Fine! I give up! Just lie there and rot then!
Abel: Thank you.
Madlyn fled the room, slamming the door behind her in a rage. He'd have to apologise for that later, but for now he was finally going to get some well deserved sleep. He closed his eyes and let his bed claim his consciousness as he fell asleep for the first time in far too long. He got only a few seconds of rest in his bed before he felt the light of morning on his eyes.
Abel, muttering: You have got to be kidding me.
The sudden sensation of extreme pain flooded every inch of his body as his mind caught up to the situation he suddenly found himself in. Agony. Complete agony all over his body. His eyes shot open and saw an endless expanse of sand, a desert. Why was he in so much pain?! He tried to scream in pain-
Abel: MMM! MHMMMMMM! HMMMMMHMMMHHM!
