“All these other races and species are just as real as us. They have their own lives, desires, thoughts and goals. Whether they escape from the Trials, dungeon or if they are transported from their own world by Skills such as teleportation or summoning, they are real. And it is important to remember that just because you’ve summoned them, it doesn’t mean they’ll do what you want, or act in your best interest.”
Excerpt from a presentation to the Senate Committee on the Tower
Tower Day 13
Once again the mobs surged in power, but Charlie’s own surge from advancing her skills and merging concepts outstripped them. With her trait boost, a basic Arrow combined with Attack hit for almost 80 damage, and adding an Enhance to both did over 95. And with her expanded mana pool, she could fire off five fully enhanced Arrows before running dry. Still, she saved those maxed arrows for finishing blows as she didn’t need it to wear them down.
“I can’t believe how much easier this is.” Charlie commented as she aimed a maxed arrow at a goblin that Lantern simply lifted off its feet and held in the air. She let fly and its head blew apart, leaving a couple claws as it faded away.
Lantern scooped up the drops and sent agreement through the link.
“And you’re getting much better at helping with the hobs too. Good work ganking that one with its own sword.” She smiled at him. “And you say there’s another similar power boost? Shit, I might be a Mary-sue after that.”
Lantern zipped ahead and came back, sending an image of two bugbears knuckling along the hallway.
“Alright, you know what to do. Distract the one, and I’ll get the other.” Charlie ordered.
Lantern made the gesture of respect and zipped back to pelt one of them with Dark Bolts while Charlie opened up with a Night Arrow before ducking around the wild swings to pelt with Night attack punches. Then once it was fading away she quickly ended the other.
“Just too easy.” Charlie sighed. “What’s left, the treasure room? Let’s see what we’ve got.”
A couple more hours of exploration and they spotted the last group of mobs. Two hobs and two goblins.
“Easy batch.” Charlie nodded. “One by one, please.”
Lantern nodded and flew up by the ceiling to over the heads of the mobs, grabbing a goblin, lifting it up and holding it still for Charlie to headshot it. One tick later she did it again with the other goblin. The two hobgoblins looked at each other and charged in desperation, but one tripped when Lantern snagged a foot and the other only got one hit that barely did anything through Charlie’s defense enhancement as she punched it to dissolution, followed by the other once Lantern was done with it. The box held an ornate bronze bracelet that shined nicely on her wrist.
-Greater Basic Bracelet of Glimmer: +1 Beauty/Grace
“Nice, even if you’re the only skill that Beauty bumps, and my Arrow, grace.” Charlie commented. “It’s early enough that maybe we can do the next Trial too.” She told Lantern.
Lantern nodded, then sent the image of the other Archon.
“Yes, we’ll get your guy too.” She smiled. “As helpful as you are, I bet things will get even easier with someone else to fight.”
Once they got to the safe room and the obelisk she pulled out the drops and made the sales. Charlie’s eyes widened at the total. “I have . . . I have 184 points!” She swallowed heavily. “I could do a lot with that.”
Lantern ‘coughed’ discreetly.
“Okay, um . . . Night Summon skills . . .” She frowned at the extensive list. “Any idea which one is your guy?”
Lantern floated over and browsed down the list, truncating it a couple times with tighter requests, settling on one entry of ‘Summon Night Caster – Sanctuary of Dark Heavens’. It was displayed as a Basic skill costing 30 points.
“You’re sure?” She looked at him.
He sent a confirmation.
Charlie made the purchase and stepped away from the obelisk. “Ok, let’s meet the new guy.”
One activation later and she could compare Lantern’s soccer-ball body/golf-ball orbitals with the new addition to the team. The new summon had a dodecahedron of jet black crystal and light-devouring metal the size of a beach ball, and a dozen octahedron orbitals that spun and twisted as they circled around at different speeds.
“Well, you certainly look dangerous.” Charlie stated after her inspection.
“I am humbled by your height of praise, Lady.” The new summon replied, his sterile voice coming from one crystal facet.
“YOU CAN TALK!?!” Charlie yelled.
“Indeed I can.” The Night Caster’s voice was smooth, noninflected English that sounded like a high-level synth . . . no doubt due to the lack of vocal cords. It had an ‘uncanny valley’ vibe to it, but by this point Charlie was just happy to hear from something that didn’t view her as literal meat.
“What about you, why don’t you talk?” She turned to Lantern.
Caster moved in. “Servant-caste such as he are merely upper-level Tier 2 for race. He has some measure of reasoning ability, but he barely classifies as Sapient. He is capable of some sounds, but actual speech is much beyond his capabilities.” He paused, then continued. “It is, in fact, a great honor for one such as he to directly serve one of the Blood. Normally you would be attended by one raised to be a Classed Maid.” He gave a light chuckle. “Instead of a, well, trashman.”
Charlie stared at Caster with that revelation, then gave Lantern a reassuring pat on the sphere. “Considering even after my Mom married someone that would provide for her, we were at best middle of middle class – on a good day. No way we could afford to hire a maid. Even if Sir would have allowed anything for me.”
“But you are of the Blood!” Caster protested. “Surely when you were tested when your menses came, the reveal of your Bloodline would have elevated you to the Temple for training.”
“Dude, we don’t have bloodlines.” Charlie shook her head. “Or at least we didn’t before the Tower showed up.” She glanced at the timer. “Just under two weeks ago. We literally got nothing to let us know what this stuff was about. All I have is a mom that raised me on her own for 4 years, a guy that treated me like shit because he could get away with it, and a sister that loves me but doesn’t understand why I don’t come home for Christmas! My mom’s husband literally told me he would murder me and his detective brother would help him hide the body!” She was screaming at him by this point, years of throttled emotions bursting out. “I lied about my age to work shitty jobs after school so I could even try to get into college or failing that, an apartment. And that included being a ‘trashman’. Things were finally looking up, I had a real best friend that didn’t care about where I came from, I was almost graduated with my degree, I had a few job offers lined up, I was going to be happy! And now I’m stuck in this murder machine trying to stay alive, stuck in the body of a fucking Mary-Sue that I was forced to be OK about and getting weird visions about a Goddess and literal Satan himself making a baby that was probably my ultimate great grandpa.” Charlie rand out of steam and sagged down onto the cot and buried her head in her hands. “And you just reminded me I’m gonna have periods now. F. M. L.”
After the tirade, Caster leapt on one bit of information. “You, had a vision of the Goddess? Tell me, please.” He begged eagerly.
Lantern, on the other hand, moved in with reassuring emotions and offering comfort.
“You may be about your duties, Servant.” Caster said firmly. “The Lady and I are conversing.”
Charlie looked up and spoke in a sub-zero voice that promised violence. “Don’t. Do. That. Again.”
“He is a Servant.” Caster protested. “He is beneath us.”
“Me . . . maybe.” Charlie said grudgingly, knowing from the link that Lantern had to be ranked under his Mistress. “But as far as I’m concerned, he is senior to you.”
“Lady, I must protest.” Caster made the movement of disagreement. “That is not how it is Done, in the Temple.”
“What Temple?” Charlie gestured around her. “Now there is only me, and maybe the others with the bloodline.”
“Others?” Caster perked up.
She sighed and relayed the vision she had and that she had sensed other presences near her. “I don’t know who they are.” She admitted. “But I . . . know . . . they are out there. I’ll know them when I see them.”
“Others . . .” He muttered to himself.
“Anyway . . .” Charlie stood up. “I’m going to clean up from the Trial. Why don’t you think about what suggestions you have for my build and we can talk about that when I get done. I have 154 more points.”
“Others . . .”
~~~
After a calming shower Charlie dressed in a short top and denim shorts (Lantern brand re-sown clothing) and addressed her new summon. “So, what are your recommendations.”
“Oh, whatever you choose. I am sure you know what you are doing by now.” He told her. “Tell me again about the ‘others’.”
“Are you . . .” Charlie bit off what she was going to say. “Look, I am asking you because you guys seem to know what to do and the ins and outs of the system. So, I have 154 points and I’m pretty sure a boss fight next. So. Bump stats? Boost skills? New skills?” She frowned when he seemed uninterested. “Now, I’m not asking anymore. This is an order. Help me choose.”
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Caster sighed. “Yes, Lady. To properly advise you I need to know what kind of Warrior you desire to be. Will you assault the enemy directly and in person? Will you lead from the front? Weather the blows of the enemy directly and in person? Will you stand back and cast destruction from afar? Or support an army of Classes.”
Charlie thought for a while. “I’m getting tired of being hurt. I don’t want to stand in front. I guess . . . if I got a bunch more summons and support them, and still rain fire . . .” She nodded. “Yeah, a summon support with damage dealing is what I want.”
“Understood.” He nodded. “Then you will need more supporting skills. You have a physical defense skill, but you should get one for energy attacks. A cleanse skill to remove debuffs and poisons, and lastly the domain skill.”
“Domain?” Charlie asked.
Caster nodded. “Yes, it is the essential skill for a support, and even ranged casters. Within the area of the domain you may direct any active skill at any point, and even divide the skill among whatever targets you choose. It even counts as ‘contact’ for skills you would otherwise need to touch the target directly.”
“That sounds . . . a bit OP.” Charlie raised an eyebrow. “What’s the catch?”
“Well, it is an additional cost per tick, and some may have skills that target domains specifically, but your Bloodline will empower it to the point few could oppose you.” He explained.
“Well, alright.” Charlie moved to the obelisk and started going through screens. “Hey, domain isn’t coming up.”
“Ah, yes, you do need to purchase the foundational skill first. Domain Power, range, or duration will unlock it.” He paused. “Do you . . . have space for it?”
“Yeah, three more right now . . .” Charlie thought and shrugged. “Eh, Night Domain Power I suppose. Can’t get it at micro . . . ten points down then, plus . . . egh, 30 more for the active. 114 points to go. I’ll take Attack to 10 for 9 points, 105. Four each for Night Resist and Purify . . . 101.” She looked over. “Now what?”
“You might as well advance your stat boost skills to Basic, the rest of your skills, and more tiers of your boosts.” Caster shrugged again.
“Okay . . . stat boosts to basic, that’s 32, storage to T5 that 8, mana power to T5 that’s 10, energy gather for regen, that’s 10 . . . 41 left. I’ll bump dex and endurance to 2, 10 each.” Charlie thought a moment and shrugged. “Eh, ten each to Arrow and Enhance to Basic 10. That leaves one.” She frowned. “I’ll just save it for next time.”
She scanned her status after the changes and swallowed heavily. “That’s . . . woah.”
“You should have no trouble with the boss now, Lady.” Caster told her. “Now, if I may, I would report your vision to my superior.”
“Sure, ok.” Charlie waved him away as she dismissed her skill, then turned to look at Lantern. “He’s a bit of an asshole, isn’t he.” She told him, then gave him a hug. “At least I know you’re on my side. I’m really tired of people deciding I’m not important enough to care about.”
Lantern sent a wave of affection to her and gently brushed and braided her hair as she waited for the new guy to make his report.
~~~
“And so, this one isn’t the only opportunity for a new Goddess, or God to Ascend!” Caster reported eagerly. “All we have to do is search this Earth planet in that world and we can invest our attention on the most worthy!”
“And what makes this Charlie ‘unworthy’?” True Knight asked, a deceptive calm in his voice, a slight ‘thrum’ of energy charging his sword the only sign of his mood. The surrounding Archons carefully moved back to distance themselves from the Caster.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Caster laughed, not picking up on the change of mood. “Terribly unprepared, she gained no advance points, she even admitted she had to work for wages. No doubt she was some priests’ by-blow he was too ashamed to claim.” He laughed harder. “She even claimed a Servant was above a Caster such as I.”
“As far as I am concerned, Lantern IS above you.” True Knight said coldly. “If the Lady didn’t need you for the upcoming fight, I would declare you Fallen!”
“I am no Fallen!” Caster protested.
“Not yet.” True Knight replied, drawing his sword. “But who are you to judge worthiness of the Blood! Who are you to put yourself above a true Descendant of the Goddess?”
“She wasn’t considered worthy to be raised in the Temple!” Caster yelled back. “How can I serve one such as that?”
“The Temple is GONE!” True Knight flared his power through his voice and waved around himself. “We are all that is left! Only we remember our Mother Goddess, the Terror of Savage Night! Now . . .” He sighed, looking weary. “Now we have this child left to our care. And the others of the Blood, should we find them. And maybe . . . maybe one will Ascend and build their own Temple for us to Serve. And serve we will. In whatever fashion they need. And not how we choose. To do otherwise is to Fall.” He stepped forward. “Hopefully the power merge you guided her through is enough to face the 10th Trial. So, which merge was it? The core of it was Mana, of course.”
“I . . . didn’t have her merge power.” Caster moved backwards.
“You . . . what?” True Knight said slowly.
“She is still at foundational energy type.” Caster would have started sweating if he had sweat glands. “I just had her spend on leveling up skills and stats.”
“YOU HAD HER SPEND HER POINTS ELSEWHERE!?!” True Knight roared. “She’ll be running the ragged edge before her class! What is her point value? If we don’t have the room before she hits Classing, you had better consign yourself to the brightest of the Radiant Hells, because it will be kinder than what I will do to you!”
“I . . . she should be able to merge still!” Caster moved back further.
“Hold still!” True Knight energized his sword and started carving sigils into a couple of Caster’s facets. “This is for the disrespect to your new Mistress!” He snarled as he finished the first, the sigil glowing darkly. “This one is for sabotaging her build when she is unstepped! And this last one is for not following my orders!”
“Sir! Please!” Caster writhed in agony as the sigils burned in dark energy and faded into scars.
“They will fade when you have fully repented of your sins and have dedicated yourself completely to the Lady.” True Knight snapped. “Now, start making laps around the Sanctuary, alternating between offensive and defensive stances. You can stop when I get tired, or are summoned back. MOVE!”
“Yes, sir!” Caster whirled to obey, his orbitals changing placement back and forth every ten meters.
Charlie Character Page
Charles Fitzgerald
Point Value: 770
Core Concept: Lesser Night, T3 – Night and subconcept skills multiplier +.3
Energy Type: Mana – Prime stat Power
Template: Gloria Crimson Bloodwine Angelique (modified)
Race: Celestial Descendant – T 5, 2 more skill slots, Boost to Divinity
Bloodline: Essence of Night – T 4, +.4 to Night element skill multi, countered by Day and associated concepts
Trait: Battle Joy – T 4, 30% increased damage, Euphoria in battle
Equipment: Basic Leather Armor [+10 def, +10 hp], Basic Amulet of Intelligence [+1 Int], Basic Earrings of Will [Will +1], Basic Empowered Pugilist Gloves [+10 Fist Dmg, +1 Pwr], Basic Quickstep Boots [Dex +1], Basic Circlet of Mind [+1 Wisdom]
