Ch. 67 – Astragos VIII (Patreon)

The creature’s mass blocked the whole tunnel. There was no way Felix could get around it. It began to open its maw, and a bunch of fish parts started to spill out. The various Sharktopi – the small ones, probably youths to Felix’s imagination, swam over and ate the delivered meal. Felix had to carefully push himself down towards the floor as he was almost bowled into by one of them that darted from behind him.

I can keep this up for a while, but I need to figure out a way to get past it. Detect Weakness.

The golden circles appeared along the gills, the eyes, inside the mouth of the creature, and at the back end which he couldn’t see – only the faint, golden outline of the targeting circle was visible through the mass of the creature. If I hurt it badly enough that should shock it into moving backward. Then, if I can just see past it, I can Shadestep beyond it and get out.

Then what are you waiting for?

An opening, Felix thought back as he hugged the ground, gripping the sticky, black floor with his hands as he pulled himself along. The Sharktopi youth were swimming all around above him, and he had several close calls where a wayward tentacle would flit near him. He pulled out his Wyrmtooth Knife. He knew that the two Skills that he was going to use also amplified the poison effect. Vital Strike <Death Strike>. And Execution.

His blade pulsed bright gold for a moment before the death energy coated it in a deep, purple, and blood-red hue. Only he could see it thankfully, and as he approached the large creature, he could see the enormous scars up closer. This thing had tangled with enormous enemies, as some of the healed-over wounds were the size of Felix’s height. Very carefully, he barely flutter-kicked his toes so as not disturb the water and reveal his presence. The large, black, dark eye was like a mirror that he gazed into. Sorry about this, but I need to get out of here and I can’t wait forever.

He brought the knife stabbing down onto the targeting circle. The blade sunk in to the hilt and he twisted before pulling it out. A split-second later, a pulse of watery energy echoed the attack – and to Felix’s surprise, Death Strike’s purplish energy was imbued with the wave of water. The creature thrashed – the opening Felix was waiting for as he glimpsed the tunnel beyond it. Shadestep.

Felix appeared in the tunnel and turned around, putting his back towards the exit as the enormous sharktopus trashed about, looking for the source of its pain. As Felix held up his hand and prepared an Air Blast to launch himself out of the cavern, he paused. The sharktopus thrashed for a few moments before stilling and floating in place, plugging the cavern with its carcass.

[Experience Awarded = 70]

[Experience Bonus from Execution Skill = 30]

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

You’ve got enough Experience to hit level 25.

I…hmm. I guess the upgraded Death Strike is really powerful. And upgraded Execution replicates all of the Skills used to amplify damage.

That explains why Tinuriel is able to dispatch foes so easily with a single swing. She’s stacking three damage amplifiers, and they are getting the damage echoed.

Felix swam backward and exited the cave. He saw several Sharktopi who were circling Tinuriel and Reth – both of whom were inside the hemisphere of repulsed ocean. Felix easily slipped past the creatures and deactivated his stealth Skills, causing Reth to jump momentarily.

“Ah! How’d you do that?”

“Class Skills. If you end up becoming a Versewalker Escort, you’ll get Skills of your own.” He looked at Tinuriel, “How were things out here?”

She looked at him and shrugged, “Boring. What’s the plan?”

Remember you have a submarine.

How big is it?

Pretty large. It would probably scare these things off.

Felix reached into his inventory and willed the submarine to emerge. The vehicle appeared next to the trio – a one-hundred-foot-long replica of the Sea Serpent they had fought in the Mega-Dungeon on Zephelam. The head and tail pierced into the water on either side of the cleared area. The sudden appearance caused the Sharktopi to scatter, and Reth gasped, “What is that?”

Felix looked at the bluish-green, metallic, and yet organic-looking vessel, “This is our means of transport to the Coralith Empire.” He walked up to the vessel and scanned for a seam or entrance. No clue how to get in though.

Oh, that’s easy. Lucifer drew Felix’s attention to the right with a small, red indicator in his vision. Felix spotted the hidden latch and opened it; the metal sliding to the side to allow entry. A magic film covered the opening. That will keep water out.

Felix went inside and waved for his companions to follow him. The first thing that struck him was the size of the interior. It was much larger than the outside made it appear. Walking towards the back he came across a mess hall, a galley, and several sleeping quarters. Going along the front of the vessel, he came across a small recreation room, a few pieces of stationary exercise equipment, and then the captain’s quarters. Finally, a cockpit with a few seats lined in the hall behind it conclude the interior space.

Felix sat down in the pilot seat – a sumptuous cushion. A floating display – much like how the System Administrator message first appeared back when this whole journey started – rose up in front of him.

Reth sat down in one of the chairs, looking around and marveling at the interior space. “This is…incredible,” he muttered.

Tinuriel nodded in agreement, “I never knew something like this could exist.”

Felix chuckled, “Wait until we see a Universe with a technology level near my home ‘Verse.” Felix rotated the seat around to Tinuriel, “Mind handing me the Talisman?”

Tinuriel did so and the waters crashed back around the vessel. Felix put the item back into the inventory and turned to face the front again. He touched the floating panels and cycled through several control configurations until he came across one he was comfortable with. Tapping the [CONFIRM] indicator, a small video game controller rose out of the floor in front of him. “Okay, let’s see what this thing can do!” He pushed the joystick forward.

The submarine darted forward, traveling in a serpentine manner as it knifed through the water. “How do you know where we are going?” Reth asked.

Good question. Lucifer?

Querying System…ah, this thing has a world map. The image of a map appeared on the view port in front of Felix. Thanks to your Detection Affinity, this vehicle – and all of your vehicles – can provide a general map of a world or Universe, and if you put in an Anima every minute, it will provide a course.

Felix willed an Anima into the device and felt the minute stream of energy flowing from his hands and into the controller. A golden line shot out in front of him. Reth gasped, “What’s that?”

“You can see it?” Felix asked.

“Oh yeah, anyone can while they’re in here. Not just Escorts. Check this out…”

The view screen shifted to Lucifer’s red-hued dark vision, and painted the whole ocean in a vibrant purple color. Felix could see for leagues until the distortion of the water prevented further vision. “Well, in this thing, at least we won’t be attacked,” Felix stated.

Tinuriel sighed and stood up, “I’m going to hit those gym machines.”

Felix glanced back and – to his surprise – the hallway behind him was stable and perfectly straight – just how it was when the vehicle was sitting still. But…it serpentines.

The System works in mysterious ways.

Yeah. Okay. Off we go.

The Sea-Serpent Submarine made the travel effortless. There were no built-in defenses, but from what Reth had told him, the only creatures that were larger than their vessel were at the far edges of the Coralith’s borders, opposite of the Monolith Empire. The far side of the world. The odds of them encountering such a creature were very small.

“If anything,” Reth commented as he reclined in the chair behind Felix’s pilot seat, “Is when we pass Coralith’s borders. They’ll see this thing and think we are some invading monster.”

“Then we just stop before then and get out of it,” Felix replied as he smoothly guided the submarine past a series of rock structures.

Reth stood up and leaned down, so his head was near Felix’s. “Let me ask you something.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“What is your end goal?”

“Beyond solving Crises?” Reth nodded, and Felix continued, “Well, I need to hit Core Level 50 to get back home, save my ‘Verse, and my sister.”

Reth stood up and nodded, “Ah, saving family. A worthy goal. But what do you intend to do after that?”

Felix shook his head, “I was thinking of just keeping this up. I mean, I’d slow down the pace a bit, but a Versewalker’s whole job is to fix ‘Verses and help the System out.”

Reth nodded, “Good.” He sat down once more and sighed. Felix heard him open something and glancing back he saw the Earthborn man pull out a locket. “May I share a part of my past?”

Lucifer can you take control?

Got it. The controller floated out of Felix’s hands and the joysticks moved on their own.

He turned in the chair and faced Reth, “Of course.”

Reth looked up with a pained expression, “I’ve been bound to the Monolith Empire my whole life. From birth, by nature of my heritage, I’ve been destined to work for my homeland. I’ve never…felt anger towards them for that, you know?” He turned the locket over in his hand, staring down at the shining bronze. “I never got to choose. The choice was thrust upon me.”

“We have a phrase about that from my ‘Verse. To quote The Bard, ‘Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.’”

Reth chuckled, “This Bard sounds quite wise.” He looked up and made eye contact with Felix. His ruby, gemstone eyes glimmered in the faint light cast from the interior of the submarine. “I’ve been a prisoner to duty. I’m Earthborn. It’s expected of me to serve the Monolith Empire. Everywhere I go, even if I’m in disguise, people figure out what I am and know immediately who I work for.” He tugged on the item he had acquired from the emperor’s armory. “That’s why I grabbed this cloak. I want to…not be me, you know? I just want to be…free from these strictures and structures.” A faint smile crossed his face, “When I saw the Multiverse and your VBV infused me with all of the potential that it obtains…” He shook his head, “I would be an idiot not to try everything in my power to ingrain myself into your ranks.”

Felix nodded, “I know what it’s like, having responsibility forced on you. I can tell…you have a good heart. You want to help people, but in your own way. Right?” Reth nodded, and Felix continued. “So, I think I’ve made up my mind. Do you want to be one of my Escorts?”

Reth grinned, “Absolutely.”

Felix held up a finger, “A word of warning, though. I want to make this clear up front. I can remove your Escort status at any time. I don’t believe you will cross me in any way, but I’m trying to do good in the Multiverse, one ‘Verse at a time. If you use the powers that being my Escort grants you for…evil, for lack of a better term, I’ll strip them from you.”

Reth’s face returned to a neutral look, and he nodded slightly, “I understand completely. You have my word. I, Reth Varnethal, will not use the powers you are going to grant me for evil or ill gain.”

Felix chuckled, “Quite formal. But I accept your word.” He held out his hand, and Reth gripped it with a firm shake.

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