Ch. 83 – Sirinê (Revisit) (Patreon)

“Felix! Get up!” he felt a shove on his shoulder.

Felix came to, having fallen asleep where he was the night before. Reth was standing in front of him with a panicked expression. “What’s going on?” Felix asked as he sat up.

“There’s some problems brewing. Roy’s looking for you.”

“Alright. Where’s Lucifer and Tinuriel?”

Reth gave Felix a hand to help him up and the two went outside to see a large crowd, “She’s doing crowd control,” Reth muttered. Felix saw several bodies go flying several dozen feet before they tumbled to a stop. “Jeesh. I thought violence couldn’t be committed in the VBV.”

“Between residents. I think escorts are exempt,” Felix muttered as he moved forward. “What’s going on?!” he shouted.

Roy pushed his way through the crowd and pointed to the Portal Room, “Those bastards on Sirinê took my sister!”

Felix stopped, rooted to the ground, as he saw Roy’s Netherlight flowing out of him. But it wasn’t calm and soothing. It flared and grew whip-like tentacles that seemed hostile, ready to lash out at anything he desired. “Calm down. I’m sure we can sort-”

Tinuriel walked out of the crowd, “We had infiltrators. Mages from the College of Heaven. You remember that Dean? Dromitus?” Felix nodded as she continued, “He’d sent folks in here to see what Gina’s magi are up to. They’ve been reporting back. I knew we should’ve killed those assassins!”

Felix cursed to himself. I should’ve known, he thought. That once the VBV became more publicly known, he’d figure out I wasn’t killed. I’m an idiot. He looked up and scanned the sky. Lucifer, are you here?

Yeah. Sorry. Lots of stuff happening at once. I’m on my way.

Roy was seething, and he growled in a menacing bass, “I am going to kill them all!”

“Slow down,” Felix said as he held up his hands, “Just…tell me what happened.”

Melanie came running over, “I just heard. What’s going on?”

Roy turned to her and his face softened slightly, but his voice still had an edge of malice, “My sister, Beth, was taken while in Mercantus shopping for supplies. She got a magical message to dad, and he got a letter to me. The College of Heaven is holding her in suspension, permanently.”

Those cages? Felix recalled vividly Gina and her classmates being trapped inside cages that froze them in time and space. They took suspension quite literally. “We can get her out-”

“It’s your fault!” Roy yelled, the Netherlight tendrils flaring around him. “You…no…” he quieted, and the tendrils stopped moving as he heaved a deep breath. “It’s not your fault. You saved people. I would’ve done the same.” He looked to Melanie and put a hand on her shoulder, before looking at Felix. “I need your help, Felix.”

“Anything you need,” Felix replied.

“I can’t act without them villainizing me. If I do anything hostile…it will be a reason for those still clinging to the old ways to reinstate their control.”

“Leave it to us,” Tinuriel said. “I’ll be happy to crush some people,” she glanced at Felix, “non-lethally.”

Lucifer came flying down and tapped his hand on Felix’s head, merging with the Versewalker. “Sorry for the delay. I filled myself in just now. What’s the plan, Felix?”

“I go get Beth.” Felix went to the crowd gathered in front of the Portal Room. “Stand aside!” to his surprise, his voice was amplified. Is that you doing that?

Nope. Just part of the VBV. It reads your intent and can magnify your voice. You could make a declaration to the whole place.

I think I will. Felix cleared his throat, “If you’re an agent of Dean Dromitus or The College of Heaven, you are about to be forced out of my realm. If you are a spy or agent here to gather intelligence on me, my advisors, or my residents, you will be forced out.” Add a Function – none who intend to spy, gather intelligence, or learn secrets about residents, myself, or my allies is immediately forced out.

Done.

As the change took place, Felix saw several people in the mass of individuals who had gathered in front of the Portal Room shrouded in the grey of the VBV before they vanished. “Alright, let’s go.” Felix pushed his way past the usual portal traffic – groups coming to or going from the VBV to the various worlds he had connected – and left through the Ethdellin portal to Heficyre. Reth and Tinuriel followed immediately behind, but he turned to them and shook his head. “I am doing this solo. I can sneak in and fly us out.”

Tinuriel gave him a pouty face, “I wanted to smash people.”

Reth shook his head, “I had also hoped to use Anathema on some other magi.”

Leaving them behind might not be the smartest move.

“We can’t fight a whole college of magi. There’s what, at least a hundred?” Felix asked.

Melanie – who followed them through the portal – nodded, “Their enrollment numbers are not public, but they have several hundred magi present at most times.”

“We can’t take all of that on,” Felix continued. “Even if we are fifteen Core Levels higher than the recommended level. I’m not risking either of you being harmed. Let me do this.”

Tinuriel nodded sagely before stepping back through the portal, “Your battle logic is sound. Very well.” Reth joined her and gave a slight sigh before waving goodbye.

Felix turned back to the throne room. Do you remember this places’ layout?

Oh yeah.

Good. Fallen Flight.

The wings extended and Felix blasted at full speed through the enormous building at top speed. He hadn’t truly pushed his flight speed to its maximum. How fast can I get?

Five miles-per-hour per Core Level. So right now, one-hundred and fifty mph.

Felix dashed over the city skyline – traversing The Eternal City in only a minute – before he crossed over The Eternal Plains. The edge of the cliff flew closer and closer into view. Activate Ghostwalk and Undetectable Step.

He flew over the edge and made straight for Dean Dromitus’ tower at the spires above the College of Heaven. Hovering in front of the windows, he looked through and did not see anyone or anything inside. The golden spindle notified him of the hazard that opening the window would pose. Detect Object. Focusing on Beth.

The golden line shot down and to his right, towards the bottom of the College. He followed the line until he came to the back entrance. Several students dressed in light-blue robes were walking through the open archways. He flew above them – completely undetectable – and continued to follow the trail. It led him to a familiar door – the same one that led him to the suspension room they found Gina in. Still using the same place? It’s not really secure.

Maybe they fortified it further?

Maybe. Time to try out a new Skill. Shadowborn <Wraith Form>.

He floated into the wall next to the doorway. As he passed into the stone, he felt a sense of suction – as if the wall was pulling him in – and then once inside, found it impossible to breathe. He popped his head out, took a deep breath, and put it back inside. Once full inside the wall, his vision expanded, and he could see the hallway next to him and the far room at the end of the wall. It was as if he had clipped through the wall and could see the video game stage next to him.

Dean Dromitus was standing in front of a very elaborate cage as Felix approached through the walls. When Felix poked his head out, he could hear the man speaking.

“This can all be avoided if you tell me how I can get inside that damned pocket dimension.”

He’s talking about getting into the VBV. Wonder why? Lucifer asked rhetorically and with a voice laced with sarcasm.

To get me, obviously. He’s still pissed off that I freed Gina and her allies, and that I didn’t conquer that Dungeon for his institution.

Felix stepped out of the wall and felt himself materialize as the one-minute timer ran out. His active Skills also ticked down more of his Vigor.

Felix pulled out his new Omniknife and flipped it in his hand so he held it blade down. Walking up behind the man, he stabbed down into the spot between his neck and shoulder, sliding it down to the heart. An instant-kill. Or, it would be, if not for (P) Killing Intent which reverted the damage after rendering the man unconscious. Felix looked up at the cage contraption. Looks like the other ones. Just bigger. There was a woman suspended in mid-air within the large circular cage. She bore a decent resemblance to Roy, but her skin was darker in tone. Rebel Against All Odds.

“Hello?” she asked into the darkness.

“Hi. You can’t see me, but I’m the Versewalker. I’m here to save you. Roy asked me to get you.”

“Roy?! He’s alive?!” She looked at her restraints within the cage. “Get me down.”

Felix used his knife’s hilt to crack open the lock on the cage, pulling it open, and reaching up to saw through her binds. She floated out – still under the effects of her temporary Fallen Flight. “We’re going to get out of here,” Felix said right next to her.

She turned, startled by the voice emanating from the air next to her, before nodding. “How did you plan on doing that?”

Felix leaned down and picked up the Dean’s body. “Leverage.” He walked to the doors, dropping the stealth Skills, and fished around Dromitus’ robes until he found a key. Slotting it into the keyhole, it opened, and two guards inside turned to face Felix – shock registering on their visages. “Ah-ah-ah!” Felix said as he held his knife against the Dean’s neck. “No sudden moves. Or else he dies.”

The two guards looked at each other before slowly lowering their weapons. “What do you want?”

“Just let us by,” Felix replied. Using this hostage method, he was able to work his way past the next set of guards at the outer doors. After exiting the hallway, he took off at a spring – glancing back to see Beth was, indeed, keeping up. They got outside as various students looked at Felix with shock. Some ran off to grab what Felix assumed were more of the mage-guards. “Quick, grab onto me.”

Beth wrapped her arms and legs around Felix’s body. “How are you going to get us out of here?” She asked as Felix heard booted feet approaching.

“Fallen Flight,” he replied.

He willed himself to rise, and within a minute they were already flying over Ethdellin. He didn’t let up with the speed – making sure Beth was holding on by shoving her hands and arms through his hostage’s own. They arrived at the palace, and none stood in Felix’s way as he alighted in the throne room, setting Beth down.

[Experience Awarded = 10]

Roy spotted her through the portal and came out, giving her an enormous hug. “Beth! You’re safe!”

She returned the hug and pulled back, “Look at you. You look…very different.”

Roy nodded, “I’m the Dark Lord. You’ve probably heard of me,” he said sheepishly. Gesturing to Melanie who sat on the throne nearby – pausing her matters of state to observe the exchange – he continued, “that’s my wife, Melanie Parslia Ventorus Remarda Stromson IV.”

Beth’s jaw dropped and she leaned into Roy, Felix only overhearing because they seemed to have forgotten his presence. “You’re married to the ruler of Ethdellin?”

Roy chuckled, “If you think that’s impressive, come inside here.” He led his sister through the portal.

Felix carried Dean Dromitus to Melanie’s throne. The people talking to her stepped back and bowered reverently. “Hi. I got his sister and the guy behind it.”

Melanie raised an appraising eyebrow, “And you bring him to me…why exactly?”

“I’m not sure what to do with him. He tried to get to me through Roy’s family. I think you should distribute judgment – whatever you see fit.”

It was around this time that the man came to. He shook his head and glanced around, his eyes going wide seeing Melanie and the spire ascending behind her. “Your grace!” he said. Glancing sideways, his eyes tracked up Felix’s legs until their eyes met. “You!” he said with absolute disgust.

Felix crouched next to him, “Yeah. Me. You know, you made a real idiotic move making me your enemy.”

“You started this! You promised that you would defeat the Dungeon for my college!” He began to chant some type of spell, but Felix shoved his knife under the man’s throat, cutting him off with the blade slightly cutting into him.

“None of that,” Felix whispered. He looked up to Melanie, “What do you want to do with him?”

Melanie gestured for the Dean to stand, and Felix pulled his knife away as the man stood up slowly, his eyes glaring daggers at Felix before turning to meet Melanie’s. She cleared her throat, “You stand accused by the Versewalker of overt hostile action. Taking the sister of Roy Stromson, my husband, captive. What say you to these charges?”

The man looked between Melanie and Felix before shaking his head. “He took my students away. Gina Egonta and her club members. I merely wanted to exchange Beth Stromson for them.”

Melanie shook her head, “You do not deny the charges. Therefore, I find you guilty of the accusations. My royal will is thus – you shall descend to Vogug, and use your skills to help fight the cannibal hordes. A glider will be dispatched immediately, and you will go out with the next wave of volunteers.”

The man’s eyes went wide and he gulped audibly. “That’s a death sentence…” he whispered.

“Actions have consequences,” Felix stated, using Lucifer’s catch phrase. “Thanks, Melanie.” He bowed at the waist as Melanie waved. He returned to the VBV. Well, that was an interesting interlude. How long did that take, round trip?

About forty minutes. You made good time.

Felix went out of the Portal Room and saw Roy sitting with Beth, Tinuriel, and Reth at the conference table. Reth and Beth were talking about some magical theory that didn’t make much sense to Felix, but he noted Roy was very excited. “I see you’re getting along famously,” Felix said as he sat next to Tinuriel.

Roy dipped his head, “My thanks for her safe return.” He turned to Beth, “You’ve decided to stay?”

Beth nodded and faced Felix, bowing her head slightly. “I was friends with Gina. And if I get to see Roy more often, and this smart mage,” she gestured to Reth, who – for a man with rocky skin – blushed mightily. “I would be delighted to stay and learn more of these magics from across the realms you’ve connected.”

Felix nodded, “Good. We’re happy to have you.” He looked to Roy, “Is that all you needed?”

The Dark Lord smiled, “Yes. Thank you, Felix.”

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