Augmented Aspects Chapter 209: Congratulations it is the Worst News Ever (Patreon)

<<<< Author's Note: First, I wanted to say thank you all for keeping with the story this long. Note that I do intend to end book 5 here, as this seems to be the logical stopping point for a lot of reasons. But don't worry Book 6 will still come as there is a LOT more that I want to get out and accomplish with this series.

With that said, thank you all and let me know what you think about the stopping point and about the projection of the series in general. I appreciate any and all feedback.
>>>>

Chapter 209

Congratulations, it is the Worst News Ever

“So let me get this straight. You were thinking about ruining the sweet sixteen brackets for the competition that you were refereeing for, commentating on, and being the only designated healer on staff for. This thinking about sixteen, as in the final sixteen participants, made you suddenly and I quote here ‘wish that you too were sixteen.’ At which point you tried to focus internally on your spiritual avatar and see if you could forcefully change your designated age to sixteen because you were bored?” Zero asks, summarizing what had been close to an hour-long explanation of why I suddenly got a giant warning line from the system telling me to stop, or else. Which I must admit, he did so with surprising ease and fluidity.

“Yeah, actually.” I respond.

During this time, I also noticed that the steadily growing pile of still looming energy, grew exponentially for a moment only to shrink down to roughly where it had been before the start of my whole trying to change my actual age.

“You can literally change into the body and form of dozens of other people. All of whom are of age, in different species, different sexes. You can literally change yourself at any time to be of age, whenever you want.” Zero chides.

“I know, but that isn’t me. Or at least that isn’t the real me.” I respond.

“Look I get it, but have you ever thought about the benefits that being under the legal age could help?”

“With what? I can’t gamble, I can’t have a relationship with anyone…”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“What? Of course it is, I’ve spent the last thirty years of my life being single. Now I’ve spent my first seven years here being forcefully celibate.”

“Be careful what you wish for.” Zero states, and as he does, I feel a direct golden line of energy reach out from Zero and directly feed into the looming energy nearby.

At that, I swear I feel my eyes grow wide with realization, as Zero just contributed to the energy pile of the looming threat that is awaiting me.

“Wait, what do you know?” I ask.

Zero who has been rather reassuring suddenly tenses up, as if realizing that he divulged something he shouldn’t have.

“No, nothing.” Zero stammers for a second, before darting to my arm.

I reach out my hand trying to stop him from retreating into my arm tattoo, only for him to see my mistake. Then before I have time to react, Zero switches course, going from trying to dive into my left arm, to diving straight into my outstretched right hand that was there to stop him.

Pausing and staring at Zero’s magical outline that is now wrapped around my hand, wrist, and under my sleeve, I can’t help but feel slightly impressed by Zero’s actions.

Looking at the hand, I can’t help but begrudgingly nod my head at the crazy guy and say, “well played.”

Pausing for a moment, I try to take in all the factors that just went into the odd meeting I had just a moment ago.

Apparently Zero had let something out that he wasn’t supposed to.

“So let’s look at the facts. I get a warning that changing my age will have dire consequences for me. It is a personal warning, not a stop, you are going to break the world kind of warning. Sad that I now can distinguish between the two.” I state out loud, speaking while still watering my plants.

“Then there was the fact that Zero harped on my wanting to change my age. A fact he said I could change anytime I wanted to by switching into one of my avatars.” By now I am up and pacing, well fly-pacing. Moving my legs while flapping my wings slowly to give me the feeling of walking, while still flying in the same area.

“Then I spoke about how I have been single for the past almost forty years.” I pause, wondering if that was the issue, but that wasn’t. At least that wasn’t where Zero made his comment. Forcing my mind to go back, I focus on my exact wording before he spoke too much. At this, “I remember there was a comment made before I made my comment about being single for so long. During that time, when I stated why I wanted to change my age I noted, that I can’t gamble, and that I couldn’t have a relationship with anyone.”

I pause realizing that this was what caused his reaction, “that was when he said, ‘is that a bad thing?’”

“That was the start, then I made the note about having been without a relationship for so long. After which, Zero then said prophetically ‘be careful what you wish for.’” I pause, finally remembering the events that just happened exactly, though I am still at a loss.

Then with horror building within my mind, I realize the issue.

“Oh, no. It can’t. No, like, no…” I state to myself trying to dismiss the thought entirely, but before I can dismiss the thought entirely, I get a quest notification.

New Questline Discovered (Ongoing): Curse of Cassiopeia I (Completed): Congratulations, you have discovered a brand-new form of energy that has given you a warning that something terrible is about to happen to you. Through your observational skills and deductive reasoning you managed to solve the riddle of what looming threat was set to befall you, before the threat fully manifested. Congratulations, though it doesn’t change the threat, or the fact that your threat will still manifest just as you are now no-doubt predicting. Rewards: Experience, Bloodline Markers evolved to Bloodline Perks, New Skill (already obtained), New Energy Insight.

Experience Gained:

500,000 / 250,000 / 250,000

Ding.

Level up.

Akashic Qi Master has increased by ten levels to level 261.

Ethereal Simulacrums Master has increased by nine levels to level 298.

Ethereal Healer has increased by thirteen levels to level 397.

The level bonuses were unexpected, especially as I was once again nearing the level threshold for not just one but two classes. Additionally, the modifiers for these classes put me squarely in the mid-upper tier of players for overall levels, which showed significantly in my Attributes and their overall build ratio.

Physical         Base     Bonus

Strength         132       537

Dexterity      164          1181

Endurance   151          690

Social            Base     Bonus

Personality     100      622

Sociability        97         626

Attractiveness  89     2036

Mental           Base        Bonus

Perception    175          2149

Intelligence   175        2441

Willpower     175       3221

Of course, the levels and overall attribute bonuses were just small change in comparison to the curse that I received in terms of my Bloodline Perk that I inadvertently activated.

Bloodline evolution Perk (Cassiopeia’s Foresight) activated: Ability to see the future, but unable to change or do anything about the future that you have found out about.

Okay, who am I kidding, I totally wanted to activate this perk, or at least get the quest which I knew would likely have one of these backhanded perks associated with it, especially given how snarky the quest was.

Still, it was a puzzle, and one that would have eaten away at me, had I not solved it. At least I think I solved it, until I realized that while the vast majority of the looming energy, that I had observed being accumulated was now gone. There was still a very small lump that was left. A very dense lump that looked like it was not going to go away anytime soon.

Seeing the lump that still remained, I almost wondered if I had missed something, but then the world once again taunted me, letting me know that no, I was not hallucinating.

New Questline Discovered (Ongoing): Curse of Cassiopeia II: Congratulations, you have discovered a brand-new form of energy that has given you a warning that something terrible is about to happen to you. Through your observational skills and deductive reasoning you managed to solve the first riddle of what looming threat was set to befall you. Now that you have identified the main threat, you have to find out what that threat can do to you, and try to prevent it from happening, before it is too late. Rewards: Experience, Bloodline Perk Evolution advancement (maybe it won’t be so terrible this time), Variable.

Seeing the new questline that is all but screaming for me to dare to solve it, I shiver slightly, as I realize exactly what it all means.

Just because I have solved the first riddle, doesn’t mean that I have solved everything that comes with the riddle. To answer this, I will definitely need some help.

“All right zero, I know what the issue is, so will you please come out so I can discuss this problem with you.” I state to my hand. Well to Zero who is a dragon shaped tattoo on my hand.

Pausing slightly and tentatively lifting his slender draconic head from my hand he peers out and looks at me.

“You solved it? Already? That was fast.” Zero admitted.

“Yeah, I solved it, but what does it mean.”

“Well, you tell me what you think it means, what was the original threat that you discovered.” Zero states.

I pause, not wanting to say it, in the hopes that by not saying it, I can keep it from actually happening.

“You know that by not saying it, you are giving it power over you.” Zero states, and as he speaks I see what he is talking about the golden threads of energy have slowly begun to drop again growing on the condensed lump of inevitable karma that is still left for me.

“Fine. I admit it, Rob, my ex-husband is going to join BiPrism.” I state.

At that Zero twists his head slightly, “you are partially, right?”

“What do you mean? Is he not joining?” I ask, a slight ray of hope filling me up as I hope that this might not actually be the case.

“Oh no, you were completely correct about that, he is coming here. No, that is not the partial part I was talking about.”

I pause, trying to understand, “did he change his name and have sex change?”

“No, not that either. What other part of that statement might not be factual?” Zero presses.

Then like that, I suddenly feel weak, as I fall forward. Fortunately, I am weightless so I just sort of hang there in place, but I suddenly realize what Zero is pressing at. “What? No, no, no.” I state.

Zero for his part just lets me talk it out.

“How could this be? Still? I mean yeah I didn’t file for the divorce out of spite. I figured if he wanted it, he could spend the money. But still, that was until death do us part.”

At that Zero just stares at me with an and? Look.

“Look at me?” I respond.

“You look pretty alive to me.” Zero responds.

“Hello, I am in a game world, in a giant spirit tower filled with the dead.” I reply.

“Even more reason why you look so alive and healthy.” Zero presses.

Pausing, I let out a deep breath, as I try to think this all through. Mentally I check out the looming threat energy that is just at my periphery. There it has stopped increasing, and even shrunken down to where it was before I tried not to talk about it, but the base, its core of defiance was still there, staring at me, waiting for me to drop my guard.

“So what does this all mean?” I ask.

“I don’t know, why don’t you tell me.” Zero answers.

“I, I don’t know. I wouldn’t even know what happens when you transfer to this world with your spouse.”

“Gee, if only someone knew what it was like to be married in the real world and then have their marriage contract transfer over to this world.” Zero poses.

At that, I instantly have an image pop into my mind of someone who dealt with just that very act.

Pausing, I suddenly realize something as I stare at Zero.

“What?” He asks.

“You seem awfully knowledgeable about the outside world.” I pose.

“Well, you have spoken about your time out there often, additionally there was…” Zero states.

And with that a second tiny pile of golden energy builds. Seeing it, I realize that this too is another pile of riddles that will ultimately mean I discover something else that I cannot change, and just might be better off not knowing the answer to.

Then seemingly just to spite me, the world lets me know that my assumptions about the quest being another Cassiopeia’s curse are proven to be correct.

New Auxiliary Questline Discovered (Ongoing): Curse of Cassiopeia II-A: Congratulations, you have discovered a brand-new form of energy that has given you a warning that something terrible is about to happen to you. Through your observational skills and deductive reasoning you managed to solve the first riddle of what looming threat was set to befall you. Now that you have identified the main threat, but have found yet another mystery that has not been solved. Do you have the resolve to track down this quest to its inevitable conclusion. Rewards: Experience, Bloodline Perk Evolution advancement (don’t expect this new aspect to be any better than the last one), Variable.

Seeing the messages from the quest, I can’t help but huff out. “Okay fine, keep your secrets Gandolf.”

With that Zero just looks at me strangely.

“Don’t mind me, I’m just responding to my new auxiliary quest line.”

“Okay,” Zero states nodding to himself as if that was enough to explain everything, which it fortunately was.

“Ready to go back?” I ask.

“To speak with Mallory?” Zero asks.

“Yes, unless you know of someone else who went through a similar complication during their time here.” I respond, truly wondering if there was someone, or anyone else I could turn to.

“Nope, though you don’t seem to be that ready to talk to Mallory?”

I pause and realize that this might be the case. “It’s just, she is so busy that I don’t know if she has time to deal with me and my problems.”

“From my understanding eighty percent of her job is dealing with you and the problems you create.”

At that I wince slightly, though I couldn’t quite refute the claim, especially with everything that has happened within the last few weeks.

“That’s just it, I don’t want to be a burden to her.”

“You aren’t, but at the very least this is likely a problem she should be made aware of, as she can likely help you understand what is to be expected.” Zero states.

“Like what can he expect?” I ask.

“Well half your assets, your last name, your Titles, you to teach him your skills, your body…”

“WHAT?” I scream, especially as he gets to that last one.

“You know, all the things a married person would expect, except may the last one. Though in dragon culture it is the male who has to prove himself by wrestling the female into submission.” Zero states.

“EWWW! That is just creepy, and I am officially not going to help you hook up with any more Pomeranians if you try to dominate them like that.” I state.

“I, I’m not. I’m just stating the custom of our people. Anyways, don’t we have somewhere else to be right now?” Zero asks.

With that Zero conveniently melds his head into my arm, thereby once again fully submerging his body into my flesh.

Seeing that he is gone, I pause and brace myself. For what is going to happen next.

For a moment I wonder if I should leave instructions for my Simulacrum to complete my work, but quickly decide against that as I instead just Teleport into the deepest darkest section of Blighted land and then do the patented tug, tug, pull method of changing places with my Simulacrum, using Positional Switch.

In a second, I find myself in the middle of guild managed lands.

Pausing, I take in a deep breath and smell the freshly watered fields that are ripe for growing food to help sustain us.

At this moment, I feel completely at peace as nothing in the world can bother me.

Phase.

Even the appearance of Kujo with a randomly squirming Blighted creature, that looks to be a cross between a zombie lizard and a wild bear-pig with cloven claws and a flat nose that looks soft and squishy.

Thump.

The still squirming body gets dropped at my feet, while Mr. Kujo pants excitedly, Blighted breath blowing wildly in my face.

Seeing Mr. Kujo, I can’t help but smile as I reach out a hand to pet Kujo while casting both Cleansing Blightfrom the creature, while creating a Perfect Resurrected copy of the creature that will go into our zoo.

“Don’t worry, this time I won’t let my mean old ex-take you in the divorce. Well, separation…” I state as I pet Mr. Kujo.

Grr!

Apparently, my words have an immediate effect on Mr. Kujo as he growls at the idea of being forcefully separated from me. Seeing him growl and snarl, a smile comes to my face. “You know, I would almost love to see his face if he did try to take you.”

Nuzzle.

At that Mr. Kujo nuzzled me on the shoulder.

Twitch, twitch.

The lizard-bear-pig creature is now Blight free, but still twitching. Looking down at the creature, I can tell that Kujo needs to take it to Ms. Kujo.

“Go on, take it,” I state.

Slurp.

I get a big wet Blight breath lick on my face, and while I want to complain, I can’t quite find the energy to. In fact, despite my disgust, I can’t help but smile at the gesture.

“Thank you,” I state, still wiping away the diseased drool.

Kujo looks at me, then I wave to him. “Go on, you have a wife to feed and protect. I expect good things from you.”

Hearing that Kujo just nods and then picks up the still trembling meal before phasing out of existence, captured prey and all.

“Hey, Cass, is that the real you?” Mallory asks, suddenly blurring into existence nearby, but on the other end of the new creature for our level one menagerie.

“Yes, it is.”

“Good, I needed to talk to you about something, something urgent” Mallory begins, as she begins wringing her hands together. Seeing the nervous gesture, I realize that whatever this is, will likely not be good. Though, before this goes too far, I make sure I let her know that I too have to talk about something with her as well, something that very likely could impact the Guild, though I don’t know how exactly.

“Actually, I also needed to talk to you about something as well.”

“Okay, but I should probably go first.” Mallory begins.

“Okay, what is it?” I ask, realizing that Mallory is clearly close to bursting with fear and trepidation about whatever she is about to say next.

“Well, I don’t know how to say this gently, so I will state it right out in the open. Your husband, as apparently you two never got divorced is coming.”

Hearing that, I let out a sigh of relief, “oh good you know.”

“Know? Wait, you knew? How long?”

“I just found out, but I came here to discuss this with you. What does it mean?”

“What does it mean? Well for starters we need to prepare.” Then Mallory nods her head like I dream of genie did, this was the signal we all agreed to, when it was time to invoke my Confidentiality.

Doing so I begin.

“Okay, we have three minutes, now what?”