Chapter 70
The Ultimate Power of Light
Jimmy traced the collection of swirling pinpricks of Qi representing his Core.
They contorted in dazzling, mind-bending displays.
How am I keeping up with this…?
Stats.
He looked over to see Dan staring intently at a pebble in his palm.
“Psst, Dan…“
The powerlifters' brow furrowed deeper, eyes squinting.
Beads of sweat freezing on his scalp.
Jimmy sighed,
He needs to start paying better attention to his surroundings..
A little louder, “PSST, DAN.”
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“WHAT!? I’m trying to think!”
“CHECK YOUR DAMN STAT SHEET.”
“YOU CHECK YOUR DAMN STAT SHEET!” Dan’s eyes flickered back and forth, freezing.
His head slowly came up, “Holy shit man, this is amazing..”
“I think we may be okay Jimbo.” Dan said softly, cheeks flush.
Jimmy’s crooked smile shone in the night,
“Agreed. This is a quantifiable step up in power level. Our world view must adjust…”
Jimmy sat cross-legged, eyes closed.
A single mote of starlight lifted from his Core, flowing out into the air, and hovered.
It then exploded, reforming into a flickering holographic Rubik's cube.
It orbited around him, sections slowly twisting, image solidifying.
The different strobing squares created a kaleidoscope of color on the stone.
Another spark, another burst, and another dim cube started coming to life.
Dan looked from the stone in his palm, to Jimmy’s dancing light show.
"Show-off."
Jimmy opened one eye. "Jealous?”
The cubes danced a little faster.
"A little."
I wonder if i could pull him to the ground from here…
Dan marshaled his considerable mental will… and restrained himself.
His Domain whispered, wanting to impose on reality.
The stone wobbled in his palm.
Frost flakes appeared, then whisked to the earth with sharp tinks.
A hairline crack worked its way across the smooth stone, rime forming.
Then it split, with a small snap.
Completing a cube for the fifth time, Jimmy spared a glance at Luna laying near a sleeping Kim.
She was laying motionless, head resting on her paws.
Eyes locked onto the rotating, turning illusion.
I can see now..
Internally, she was sending ‘waves’ of Qi echoing back and forth through her body.
They would collide, centered on her Core.
It was a disk that would vibrate and distort from the impacts.
It in turn, would send out more waves, continuing the process.
Yeah, she definitely has a sound Affinity.
Jimmy squinted looking at the interesting shape of her Core, and chuckled.
“Hey… Dan..,” Jimmy whispered.
“Sup?” He was tossing a new stone lightly into the air, and watching it zip to the ground at high speed.
“I think Luna’s Core is based on that rubber frisbee Ken would throw with her. It vibrates and makes sound waves.”
The wide man laughed softly, not to wake the others.
“He will get a kick out of that.”
From out of the darkness, a distant shriek echoed off the mountaintops–sharp, almost human.
It cut off just as suddenly as it started.
A couple sleeping forms shifted.
Luna’s head tilted, locked, listening.
Dan let out his held breath, grip loosening on his club.
Death is around every rock..
The fight flashed through his mind.
We barely made it, and it took all of us..
He looked over to his friend,
“You think Ken is still alive by himself out there?”
Jimmy’s cube paused, his glance flashing to Kim’s resting form.
“...Hard to say…Hopefully… Probably. One thing for sure, wherever he is, he is doing something fucked up..”
Dan chuckled, shaking his head, “Yeah you're probably right,”
He was watching the light play off the cube, when inspiration struck.
“Hey, what all can you make with that?”
“Um, anything? What are you thinking?”
The lean man' s eyes flicked briefly up from the cube.
“Board games?”
The puzzle dissipated into particles of light.
“Dan, you are a genius.”
