Ch. 58 – Zephelam XII (Patreon)

"For the Hoard!"

Felix opened the chest and reached inside.

[Loot Obtained]

·         20,000 VC

·         Leviathan Dungeon Core (Ancient)

·         Loot Forge Essence – Sea Serpent

·         Leviathan Hide

·         Leviathan Tooth

[Loot Bonus from For the Hoard!]

·         5,000 VC

Felix looked to the cave exit as the chest vanished. He led the way out, following a winding, dark tunnel that ascended several hundred feet. The bright pinprick of light eventually came into view, and his dark vision shifted away as the two emerged onto a vast, muddy flatland. Looking up into the gorgeous sky, he breathed in a deep lungful of the crisp, clean air. The earthy scent of the fresh mud mixed with a pleasant breeze as he looked back to Tinuriel, her hair whipping in the wind.

She looked around, “This land is going to take a long time to recover.”

Felix nodded, “We still have a Crisis to solve. That floating city. Zesperia.” He looked at the vast emptiness in all directions, “Just returning it to the surface here should solve it.”

Tinuriel frowned, “And what if they don’t want to return?”

“That Priestess told us that they were not changed into bird-people. I bet they’d love all this land to spread out on.”

She shrugged, “Lead the way.”

Felix held up his hand, “Detect Object,” focusing his intent on finding this floating city.

The golden line shot out and off into the horizon. Tinuriel took off, flapping her wings and ascending upward. Felix launched himself up after her a moment later. Once they obtained some altitude they angled towards the line and followed it off into the distance.

Hours passed and the eternal daylight persisted. Eventually they tired and set down on one of the floating islands. A pleasant, bubbling spring formed a small pool that went over the edge and slowly cascaded over the edge. He laid down on the grass as Lucifer focused on opening the VBV. Tinuriel laid down next to him and wrapped an arm around him. It was odd, lying down with wings – but they folded nicely behind him and weren’t in the way. The clear, gorgeous skies above speckled with the floating islands and shimmering crystals made for an engaging view.

Felix felt content. He was, for the first time in a long time, just at peace. No responsibilities like what he had in his home Universe. No pressing tasks requiring his attention. The VBV was being managed by other people, he had a gorgeous, strong woman by his side, and wanted for nothing.

But…the lingering thought pushed forward in his mind and disturbed his peace. He knew that a monumental task lay before him. This Basilisk AI thing was able to hack through the Multiverse to try and hurt him. Try and hurt Tinuriel. He was certain it already had figured out everything about Penny, and as soon as Felix got back to his home Universe…he shuddered thinking what might happen when the time lock was released so he could, presumably, fix things. And the fact that the System was, indeed, something like a computer with files meant that – to him with his limited understanding of computer files in the first place – that the Basilisk AI could infiltrate the System itself. Who knows what damage that would cause?

I’ll be strong enough to beat it, by then. I’ll have more Escorts along to help.

And my help, as well.

Felix chuckled and pushed himself into Tinuriel’s grip, Yeah. I’ve got you along for eternity.

The VBV opened and the two went inside. Thanks to the Functions already in place, his desire for food and drink went away, and he felt refreshed – as if he had just had a long night’s sleep. Felix went right to the Shop to restock.

[Items purchased]

+ <Rank 5> Anima Elixir (x5)

-2,500 VC

[Monies Paid]

-2,500 VC

[Current Balance]

= 25,500 VC

Tinuriel pushed him towards the house with a grin, “Come on. Time to sleep.”

“There’s a Function in place that makes that optional.”

She shook her head, “Not what I mean.” She grinned, and threw Felix over her shoulder, carrying him off.

After an amorous repast they resumed their flight through the skies of Zephelam. They continually ascended higher and higher as they flew past more villages perched upon the floating islands in the sky. As they continued their journey, they came across larger cities. Still filled with avian-humanoid creatures, but the coloration shifted and changed until instead of the tropical birds of paradise, they were amongst others who were colored more similarly to them.

Several days passed as they would fly for a good, solid twenty hours, open the VBV, spend some time together, and then continue their flight. By the time six days had passed, they saw their destination. Below them was an enormous city. The best comparison Felix could make was that it was the size of Manhattan Island in New York. Large, piercing spires made from stone and metal arced upward from foundations of firm earth below. Large, spacious parks and lakes interspersed the urban sprawl. And people roamed about – humans. Regular, average-looking people just like those Felix had encountered on Heficyre and back on his Earth. But there were few for the size of the city – and they hurried from location to location like a mouse scurrying from safe corner to bolt hole.

Why are people so similar despite being in different Universes?

The System has a template that it provides to new creator deities. Humans are a pretty popular template.

The two swooped over the city as Felix scanned down below for some trace or indication of a place of management. As they descended for a better look, he could make out people more accurately – patchwork clothing and gaunt, pale features lent an appearance of utter destitution. “What happened to them?” he asked aloud.

“Like that Priestess said – their city has too much separating it and the shards. They never changed because of that. I’d wager that they’ve spent centuries on this singular, floating landmass.”

Tinuriel frowned, “I don’t see any other flying people like us. The avian folk don’t visit.”

That didn’t make much sense to Felix. This would be a lucrative form of trade. But then he recalled what the type of society was that the Priestess implied was the norm for those humanoid-avian folk. They were monastic and self-sufficient, having chosen to ascend to the skies. These people below…they didn’t have a choice. He shook his head, “I’ll fix it. We’ll get the city on the ground, and I’ll use a Multiversal Charge to make a permanent portal.”

Lifting those beneath you to greater heights of potential and pulling them up as you ascend – you are taking so much after me. There was a deep sincerity in the tone that Felix picked up on.

We do make one hell of a team.

Felix spotted a large circle on a grassy lawn down below, placed right in front of a circular building. He saw a few other avian humanoids confined to that space, and he drifted down before landing. Tinuriel fluttered behind him before landing. “Hi there. I’m Felix, Versewalker.”

The various avian folk looked up at him. They were stern-looking individuals with satchels and bags strapped to their bodies – and weaponry. Light spears and blow guns. Makes sense, blow guns don’t require any real arm movement. One of them looked him up and down, “Here to trade?”

Felix shook his head, “No. Maybe you can direct me to someone in charge though.”

The person who had spoken with him frowned and tutted, “Tsk. No point. Stay on the landing area; they know not to try and steal from us while we are here.”

“What’s in the building?” Tinuriel asked.

“It’s their storehouse,” the avian replied. “Be careful, they’ve been cagey this week.”

“Why are you here?” Tinuriel asked.

“Tourism,” the avian replied with a laugh. “I want to see how these poor sods get along with their pathetic lives.”

Tinuriel frowned and walked up to him, standing to her full height, and dwarfing the small avian, “Why don’t you sod off?”

The avian backed off and glanced at his peers before they flapped up and went away from the grassy circle.

Felix walked forward – exiting the grassy circle – and up the steps to the circular building. The doors were open, and several gaunt and disheveled humans stared at him in a very bare-looking storehouse. There were five seated at a large table, and they all looked at him as he entered. “I’m Felix. Versewalker. Do you all have a leader of some kind?”

Two of them, a young man and woman, glanced at each other before she stood up. “Do you have food?” Felix pulled out all his Versewalker Rations and set them on the table. The five looked at each other before they grabbed one apiece, placing the other five in a crate. “Our thanks, Versewalker.”

Felix crossed his arms, “No problem. Really. So, who’s in charge?”

The young man cleared his throat, “We’re a council.”

Tinuriel shook her head, “You’re too young to rule. Unless you’re long-lived.”

The various young adults looked at each other with some type of emotion written across their faces. It took Felix a few minutes to discern what they were feeling. It was shame. Lucifer, switch my vision to that dark vision.

Done.

As his vision shifted to the red sight, he saw what lay in the darkness at the back of the room. There were dozens of skeletons – several that were torn apart and still had meat and sinew on them. They…cannibalized each other. Felix felt a sickness overtaking him and he turned away, stifling back the need to vomit. He looked back at them, “I see. Did they at least consent?”

The young woman broke down in tears, and the young man nodded solemnly. “The old sacrificed themselves so that we could survive.”

“How many in your city?” Tinuriel asked.

“We haven’t done a census or anything, but the last time we had a town hall and…dispensed rations…about five hundred?”

That number staggered Felix. A city this size should be able to house hundreds of thousands. “How long has this city been floating?”

Another man with swarthy, dark skin, spoke up, “Two-Hundred years.”

“Can’t you trade with the local bird folks? The Sunset Islanders?” Tinuriel asked, seemingly undisturbed by the cannibalism.

“They don’t want anything we have. Can’t give them something they don’t want.”

Felix sighed, “I’m sorry we couldn’t be faster. I’ve repelled the flood waters. The whole of Zephelam is muddy, but inhabitable again.” This elicited whispers from those at the table before he raised his hand, and they went silent. “I intend to chip away at the shards supporting this city; slowly, piece by piece, to gently set it down on the surface.”

The group of young people looked to each other before they raised overlapping voices:

“Is that safe?”

“What if we tilt too far one way?!”

“Even if we get down there, we have no way to survive.”

The voices went silent, and everyone focused on Felix. “I will return the city to the surface. Then, I’ll provide you with an option for a better life. Tinuriel, mind sticking around and explaining the VBV while I go get this thing slow falling?”

She nodded and put a hand on his shoulder, whispering to him, “Good job.”

He smiled and nodded to her as he went outside. He launched himself up and flapped to the edge of the chunk of earth before flying underneath and in a wide circle. It took several hours, but he chipped away bit by bit, here and there, with hardlight arrows until the city began a very gradual descent. It would take days for the city to reach the ground once more.

Felix was troubled by the knowledge that people could have been saved if he had been faster. Tinuriel’s apathy to their sudden revelation was something that he credited to her pragmatism and warrior culture. The weak gave themselves to the young for survival. It was cold, efficient, logical. He understood the reason for the decision, but if he had chosen to push himself harder…then maybe they could have arrived before that measure was taken.

You can’t be everywhere at once. You helped when you could.

That doesn’t help ease the guilt I do feel. I could have changed the time dilation in the VBV to speed up our rest and recovery rate. I could-

Just…stop. Please, stop. Stop blaming yourself. They have free will. They made decisions and are dealing with the consequences of those decisions. If you want to feel sad, feel sad. But don’t feel guilty. It’s not your fault. Imagine if we had gone to that other ‘Verse instead? Things would have been far worse by the time we got here.

The rationalization made sense. Felix knew that Lucifer was right. He was doing so much to help people. Thousands of people. Over his…eternal life…he would help far more. I just need to keep the big picture in mind.

Especially if Astragos is next. That place is about to have two empires clash, and have their own internal, civil conflicts. I don’t know if you can handle a full-on war. Let alone internal conflicts which tend to be even bloodier.

I don’t know. Felix had been in violent situations, sure. He’d killed people who deserved it – like those assassins – and he had been judicious with his use of violence. But going into a situation like what Lucifer described…bringing peaceful resolution would most likely not be an option. He would probably be choosing a side. Given his rogue skills and the fact that him and Tinuriel acted very well as a small squad…choosing a side would probably mean that he would be engaging in sabotage and rapid-strike missions. I’m sure Tinuriel is capable of that type of stuff…but I don’t know if I could be that callous.

You don’t have to kill anyone. Remember, you have that (P) Killing Intent Talent. So, you can keep your hands clean.

That reminder brought Felix some comfort. He resumed his task with a renewed focus and made rapid work of the last few crystals. He returned to the grassy circle and went into the building.

Tinuriel was sitting down, and the mood seemed somewhat jovial despite the circumstances. “I told them about the VBV,” she said with a smile. “They’re going to round everyone up and we’ll take them into the VBV until the city hits the ground.”

The young council members stood up and bowed as a group. “Thank you, Versewalker.”

“No problem.” Lucifer, mind opening a portal?

I’ve been waiting with it ready. The portal opened next to Felix.

“Give me a moment,” Felix said as he went inside. “Lucifer, can you get a group of volunteers to spread throughout the city and bring people back here?”

Lucifer split off from him and nodded, “Will do.” He flew off.

Felix poked his head out of the portal, “Come on in. We’ll deal with rounding the rest up.”

Days passed inside the VBV as the residents of Zesperia gathered inside and made themselves at home. Several declared their intent to remain inside the effective paradise, whilst others showed an interest in returning to their home and resettling. Felix ensured that supplies were stockpiled and ready to be sent through the VBV portal. Finally, the message he was waiting for popped into his vision.

[Crisis: Zephelam – Return the Floating City of Zesperia to the surface – Solved!]

[You have earned a Multiverse Charge]

That was the signal, and he led the group of a little over three hundred back to their city. The landmass had settled back on the ground, and for the first time in centuries, the people of that Universe walked on the land of their ancestors. Felix used a Multiversal Charge and created a permanent portal in the council chamber and ensured that the elders who had sacrificed themselves so their progeny could survive were given proper burials.

Hundreds of avian-humanoids had also been exploring the now-grounded city, and when he encountered them, Felix explained the VBV in brief terms. Within a few hours, word was spreading, and he had no doubt that there would be hundreds of new residents in the VBV.

[Experience Awarded = 40]

[Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.]

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