Rune Seeker

Epilogue – 2

A few minutes after discussing the logistics of trying to convince an angry Fallen to talk to them – and not coming up with any better options than punching him until he agreed, Thanks, Right – Hiral and Seena met the rest of their party at the raid interface.

Even Romin, Wallop, and Gran were there, though they moved a little more slowly than normal.

“You three sure you should be up?” Hiral asked.

Wallop snuffed.

“He says he’d prefer to be sleeping,” Romin translated. “If it was anybody other than Seena getting their advanced class. He’s still carrying a torch for her.”

The Rune-o’s eyes widened, and he shoulder-checked the Bonder in the knee. Since he was in his miniaturized form, Romin didn’t even budge.

“Apparently I wasn’t supposed to mention that last part,” Romin said.

The two companions glared at each other for a moment, but Hiral was quietly relieved to see them both in such good spirits. Evidently, one large downside of their Onslaught form was that when they later separated again, they both had the same wounds they’d had while combined.

When the transformation faded after they exited the Playhouse – after Hiral had been forced to segregate himself – it had been bad. It was practically a miracle Wule, Gran, Yully, and Left had managed to stabilize the two of them before Politet had drugged everybody.

“Pretty sure that flame is already burning somewhere else,” Gran said, glancing down at where Hiral and Seena held hands.

Wallop snuffed again, and somehow Hiral even understood – She’ll come around.

“Challenge accepted,” Hiral said quietly to the Runeocerous as they locked eyes.

“Boys,” Seena said. “As flattered as I am about the attention, we’re here for a reason.”

“Achievements!” Yanily said. “I’ve been waiting so long. Finally, it’s time.”

Seena held up a hand to stop the spearman from stepping towards the raid interface. A crowd was slowly gathering around them – they were kind of celebrities as the highest-level group, and there was a rumor Seena would take her advanced class – but that didn’t seem to be what she was waiting for.

“Gran. Romin. Wallop,” she said. “You’re sure your bodies are ready for achievements? We can wait longer if…”

“Stop talking, girlie,” Gran said. “And start swiping. We wouldn’t be here if we weren’t ready.”

“Achievements or advanced class first?” Hiral asked Seena, the previous conversation clearly over.

“Achievements,” Seena said after a second. “Everybody has… two?” For that last part, she looked at Hiral.

“Three,” he replied sheepishly.

“Got one for blotting out the sun, boy?” Gran asked him with her customary cackle.

“Actually, yes,” Hiral said. “Technically for creating a new rune, but…”

“Hold up,” Yanily said. “Creating a new rune. Is that different than what you usually do?”

“Different,” Hiral said. “Normally, it’s more like I find a rune and learn it. An existing rune. The Rune of Eclipse though? It didn’t exist before I made it. Or its Edict, I guess.”

“Are you saying…” Yanily started slowly. “You just created a new rule of the universe? Like gravity or energy?”

Hiral shook his head. “Not quite. For now? This rune and Edict seem like they’re still on a personal level…”

“Your personal level blots out the sun?” Gran reiterated.

“It lets me manipulate reality immediately around me,” Hiral said, then held up a hand. “More accurately, it will. Even though I’ve got the achievement, I can’t access the rune or it’s Edict right now. At least, not easily. The more Edicts I can touch, the easier this particular rune comes – it’s like a combination rune. And, the Edict – the blotting out the sun part – I won’t be able to do that again until I control most, maybe all of the Edicts I can see.” R̃ÅＮọᛒЁ§

“So, no more willy-nilly rewriting reality?” Gran asked.

“Not for the time being,” Hiral sighed.

“What about that?” Yanily asked, thumbing toward the scar of nothingness cut into the distant valley wall.

“Not until I control Eclipse again.”

“I’ve got to ask,” Yanily continued. “How does a bit of shadow do that anyway?”

“Technically, it wasn’t the shadow or the Rune of Eclipse that did that,” Hiral said. “I used the added power of Eclipse to… uh…” he took a deep breath before explaining this part. “I kind of combined a couple of Edicts into a blade. Then I hit the Ex-General with it.”

“You… combined the laws of the universe into a sword…” Gran started.

“A blade,” Hiral clarified quickly. “Far too messy to call a sword.

“Into a blade,” Gran continued. “After blotting out the sun, and then what did you do with it? You hit something.”

“What else would he do with a blade?” Yanily asked. “I would’ve chosen a spear instead of a blade – one is clearly superior to the other – but that’s just a preference.”

Gran looked slowly between the two of them, as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Then she sighed. “Boys.”

“I think she’s suggesting you could’ve done something otherthan turn universal laws into a weapon,” Seena said.

“Shoulda been a dagger,” Seeyela said. “If you’re going to shove some universal laws into somebody’s throat…”

“Isn’t it down somebody’s throat?” Romin asked.

“Either way,” Seeyela said with a wave of her hand. “Daggers are best.”

Wallop snuffed, then stomped the ground.

“He says she’s close,” Romin translated. “A strong and striking horn – pun intended – is the true weapon of culture.”

With the statement, everybody turned to look at Seena.

“What?” she asked. “Why bother with any weapon when you can just make it burn?”

“Clearly,” Li’l Ur chimed in. “Fire is both the superior weapon and element.” His little, blue-flamed eyes turned dismissively in Yanily’s direction.

“Exactly,” Seena said, glancing up at Hiral. “Could you have turned that laws of the universe stuff into some fire?”

“It did kind of look like it was burning…” Hiral said, thinking back to the raw energy.

“Perfect!”

“But you can’t do it all the time?” Yanily asked, bringing the group back to the original topic.

“Not yet,” Hiral said. “It’s a good goal to work towards though.” He looked at the scar running across the valley. “It’s… effective.”

“Which means – in the meantime – you still need us, huh?”

“Don’t think we’ll ever get past me needing you guys,” Hiral said.

“Good,” Seena said with a squeeze of his hand. “Now then, there are obviously people waiting. And while we could make them wait until we run a few more trials – cliffhanger! – let’s get this done. Achievement time. Yan, would you?”

“Happily,” the spearman said, then waved his hand over the raid interface. “Achievements.”

With the familiar, words, a jolt ran through Hiral’s body – the PIMP connecting with his PIM through the interface – and a series of notification windows popped up in front of him.

Let’s see what we’ve got here…

Hiral brought up the first window, allowing himself just a touch of the child-like glee of opening a new present to bring a small smile to his face. After everything they’d been through in the Cradle, he was more than a little curious if it was worth the trouble.

First up was, of course, the one they’d gotten from The Archwizard nearly opening a portal to the sun in their faces.

Achievement: Heart of Enlightenment

Reward: PIM Upgrade: Solar Heart

PIM Upgrade: Solar Heart – After witnessing the near-endless source of power within a new sun, a personal core has formed inside your PIM.

Note: While the Solar Heart does not possess quite the same energy generation potential of a sun (yet?) it provides passive solar energy regeneration while no other source is available.

Note (2): External energy that mixes with that provided by the Solar Heart sees increased potency and efficiency.

Note (3): The Solar Heart itself acts as an additional reservoir of power.

Note (4): All solar energy within your body is easier to manipulate thanks to the Solar Heart.

Hiral read the note, then stopped cold, a line of sweat running down the center of his back. The last time they’d gotten a PIM upgrade, they’d…

Blooming pain like something had run straight through his gut doubled him over at the same time everybody else in the party spasmed. Yanily dropped to a knee. Gran vibrated higher into the air. Seena squeezed Hiral’s hand so tight she was probably going to break it. Wallop toppled over sideways and right onto his back, his small legs kicking at the air while he was upside down. Romin just sat straight down.

And Seeyela? Yeah, of course, she didn’t even flinch.

Several very long seconds that had people rushing over to see if they were alright, and then the pain faded. In its place, a warmth spread from Hiral’s belly. Not actually his stomach – it wasn’t like eating Nivian’s stew – but almost somewhere within him in one of those folds in reality the PIMP so loved.

“What was that?” Romin asked as the other party members got control of themselves, Gran floating back down to join them.

“Check your status window,” Seeyela said. “Specifically, your solar attributes.”

Oh?

Taking the woman’s advice, Hiral opened the window – after reactivating Foundational Split, since the upgrade had dismissed his doubles –and looked immediately where she’d suggested. Then his eyes widened. Damn.

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Solar Energy Processing

Absorption Rate: S+-Rank

Capacity: SS+-Rank

Output Rate: SS+-Rank

Not only had they gotten the new passive effect that apparently generated solar energy all on its own, but they’d also got a full rank upgrade in all their solar energy attributes? Crazy. Just crazy. Wait, why did he also have a higher output rate too?

Politet’s super poison-slash-drug? That has to be it!

Even if they’d only gotten that single achievement from the trial, it was worth it. Ah, too bad the other groups didn’t get it…

Then again, there was no guarantees the others could’ve beaten The Archwizard, so Hiral let the thought end and got ready to check the next achievement. First though, he confirmed Left and Right had moved the worried onlookers back to a safer distance. There were no guarantees this would be an explosion-free event.

With everybody safely back, he did in fact turn to the second notification window. This one from clearing the trial.

Achievement: History of Violence

Reward: PIM Upgrade: Is This How You Do It?

PIM Upgrade: Is This How You Do It? – Defeating an opponent has a chance to teach your PIM a replicated version of an ability they used in combat.

Note: Power of replicated ability produced by Is This How You Do It? Is based on user PIM, not the original power of the opponent.

Note (2): Not every opponent has abilities that can be replicated.

Note (3): Only one instance of Is This How You Do It? can be activated per single opponent defeated, even if multiple people present have this ability.

The memory of The Archwizard copying Seeyela’s teleport lockdown immediately sprang to mind, though Hiral suspected the powerful goat had done that through sheer skill, and not some ability. Still, having a chance – though it didn’t mention how high that chance was – to gain abilities used by their enemies was very interesting. Or, at least, it could be. If it ever happened. Then again, fight enough monsters and it was bound to occur.

According to that last line, it sounded like they couldn’t all learn the same ability from one opponent, though. Too bad. Hiral paused to imagine all six of the party members opening portals to the sun to flash-fry their enemies.

The short-lived fantasy brought a small smile to his face before he closed the window and moved on to the last one. To the one only he had gotten.

Achievement: Writing Your Own Rules

Reward: PIM Modification: Runic Mastery+ becomes PIM Modification: Attuned Runic Mastery+

PIM Modification: Runic Mastery+ – Your solar energy is more attuned to your runes, reducing the amount it takes to utilize them by 50%.

Not exactly as impactful as he was hoping for creating a brand-new rune – Seemed like that was kind of a big deal – but, then again…

Sure, the huge – doubled – efficiency boost was nice, but it was the wording on this that was interesting, now that he looked at it. It hadn’t changed since when he’d gotten the initial ability – just going from twenty-five to fifty percent – but the attuned part caught his attention more. He’d been theorizing the PIMP couldn’t actually give him runes. Thinking about it, though, he had several abilities that did interact directly with runes.

His Piercing Shot+ and Hundred Handed+ being two such examples. Why did those work if his theory was true?

Was it because the PIMP was learning more about the nature of runes through Hiral’s usage of them? Making it easier to incorporate the runes – and how they worked – into abilities? Directly into Hiral’s PIM?

That made enough sense it could be true.

“You don’t look thrilled about something,” Seena said.

“It’s the same face Yan makes when he realizes he doesn’t have any more pastries left in Shared Storage,” Seeyela.

“Usually because somebody was sneaking them,” Yanily said, looking at one particular double who conveniently seemed very interested in the grass.

“Ignore them,” Seena said. “What did you get?”

“AttunedRunic Mastery+,” Hiral said. “Up to fifty percent now.”

“… that’s it?” Seena asked after it was clear wasn’t going to say anything else.

“That’s it.”

“For rewriting the – What did they call them? – laws of the universe?” Yanily asked.

“I guess it’s not a very important law,” Hiral chuckled.

“It could be because you don’t completely have access to the Rune of Eclipse,” Left suggested.

“Or the rune is the real prize,” Seeyela added. “And any achievement is just a bonus. Don’t get greedy.”

“Both of those are very possible,” Hiral said. “And I know I shouldn’t be disappointed, I did unlock two new Edicts – Separation and Impact through the whole process. I guess I just expected something flashy like we got with the other two achievements.”

“Those are something else, aren’t they?” Seena said.

“Can’t wait to see what abilities we can steal,” Yanily said. He looked over at Romin, Wallop, and Gran. “After everybody is healthy again. No reason to rush out and just get hurt worse.”

“Few more hours,” Romin said. “Then we’ll be ready. Sorry for making you all wait for us.”

“Don’t be,” Hiral said. “I’m barely any better off than you. Besides, now that I can walk without looking older than Grandmother, I have some people I should catch up with.”

“Us too,” Seeyela said. “Caleon just got back from a trial run. We didn’t really get a chance to talk to her before everything started happening. She was busy getting to know her new group…”

“Still can’t believe Cal isn’t a healer anymore,” Yanily said.

“Or that she joined a new group so fast,” Seena said.

“Wule… thinks there’s something a little off about her,” Seeyela said quietly. “Not just the not-a-healer-anymore thing. Did you hear what her advanced class does? Or what it’s called?”

“No…” Seena said slowly, at the clear hesitance in Seeyela’s voice.

“Memory Knight,” Seeyela said. “From the sounds of things, it let’s her do a lot of stuff other than heal. She can… turn to stone to tank. Or switch to using light to attack from a range. Move in close and attack with fists and feet. She even has a charged-up spear skill…”

“She’s copying your old party,” Seena said. “Lonil’s tanking ability. Balyo’s spear. Vix and Picoli too.”

“Yeah.” Seeyela nodded. “And, apparently, her personality changes a bit too, depending on which ability she’s using. Wule’s worried.”

“This connected to that mirror she got?” Hiral asked. “Actually, never mind that. It has to be.”

“Probably what triggered the advanced class,” Seeyela said.

“We’ll talk to her when we finish here,” Seena said. “Hiral, it’s probably better if it’s just us for now…”

“No, I totally get it,” Hiral said. “She and I never really got that close, and I might be more a reminder of what she lost than anything else right now. If you need anything from me though – if she does – don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Of course,” Seeyela said. “Thanks.”

“No problem. Like I was saying, I’ve got some people I need to talk to anyway. We can get it all done at the same time.”

“Nat and Milly are out running a trial,” Seena said. “If you’re looking for them. Gauto and Arty are around here somewhere.”

“Gauto was asking for you,” Right said. “Came by while you were unconscious.”

“He might be out on a trial run now too,” Seeyela said. “Think I saw him on the way out when I was coming over.”

“That’s all fine,” Hiral said. “I do have one other thing I wanted to test before we go anywhere.”

“Should we be worried?” Seena asked.

“Not at all,” Hiral said. “I think I have a way to help out with scouting the valley.”

“The clone thing you used near The Playhouse?” Left said.

“Exactly that,” Hiral said. “But that’s an in-a-little-bit kind of thing. First, we have one more advanced class to add to our party. You ready, Seena?”

“You better believe it,” she said. “I already absorbed that flower’s core. Which – let me tell you – was an interesting experience. Soon as I did, it offered me the advanced class.”

“You’re going to take it?” Yanily asked.

“You bet I am,” Seena said. “But, before I do, why don’t you take a look.”

As the party leader said that, a burning, red window popped up in front of Hiral’s eyes.

Advanced Class: (Lost) Gloriosa of Rebirth.

Be the flame of change that burns across the worlds, and rise from the ashes to bring about a better future.

Class Abilities

Gain +4 attributes per level, starting in B-Rank.

Class Ability (Active): Aspect of Rebirth – Through the spark of one sponsor, the seed of another fallen one has been reborn – You are that seed.

Aspect of Rebirth – By taking on the qualities of an ancient plant, gain immunity to critical hits, increased regeneration while a fire is nearby or while on fire, a 30% bonus to any abilities with the fire or plant subtypes, a 30% efficiency bonus to any abilities with the fire or plant subtypes, as well as natural advantages of the new form.

Note: Duration of Aspect of the Rebirth is 1 minute. Cooldown is 5 minutes.

Note (2): Only abilities with the fire or plant subtypes can be used while Aspect of Rebirth is active.

Note (3): Passives are not affected by the above limitation.

Class Ability (Active): Pollenuption – Release a cloud of highly flammable and sticky pollen, which ignites into a viscous pyre that is incredibly difficult to douse.

Note: Pollenuption burns for 1 minute, or until put out. Cooldown of 1 minute.

Class Ability (Active): Unnamed Grasp – Chimeric vines erupt from your flames to grapple a target of your choosing, stealing power for their own dire purposes.

Note: Unnamed Grasp debilitates targets while gripped by the vines, reducing combat abilities by 10%.

Note (2): If Unnamed Grasp drains enough power from their target (time taken dependant on target’s Rank), an Unnamed Foe under your control is birthed.

Note (3): Duration of Unnamed Foe is 2 minutes per Rank (Currently 8 minutes).

Class Ability (Passive): Friend of Forest and Fire – Your presence shields your allies from the hunger of the flames, and offers the quiet solace of the forest.

Party members gain 30% resistance to fire damage, can not suffer from mind-influencing effects while your flames burn nearby, and benefit from 20% reduced critical-hit damage when struck if they are under the influence of any effects or buffs you provide.

Class Ability (Passive): A Seed’s Potential – All abilities using flame or plants see increased efficiency, damage, and potential.

Hiral quickly read over the class description a second time while the others looked to be doing the same.

“Lot of similarities to my advanced class,” Yanily said. “Maybe because of the sponsor focus? Am I reading this right, though? You have two sponsors now?”

“More like one and a half,” Seena said. “The Mother of Flame says that plant The Archwizard killed was another Progenitor. She met it in her own universe, after it died here? I don’t know, the time stuff is confusing.”

“And she’s okay with you having another sponsor?” Hiral asked.

“Totally is,” Seena said. “Like we talked about before, any kind of growth in a new direction is extra beneficial to our sponsors. This is almost like having two halves of two different advanced classes.”

“A dual-class,” Yanily said.

“Sure,” Seena said. “Let’s call it that.”

“And that Unnamed ability in there…” Hiral said slowly. “It’s from…?”

“Yeah,” Seena said more quietly. “Ever since that happened, I’ve felt something different with a lot of my plant-based skills. They worked better with my fire stuff, and were more intuitive. I don’t know if it’s because of how it tried to steal my PIM, or if it was because it was plant-based itself at some point, but it was the first hint at this new advanced class. It was a requirement for it. Don’t think I could’ve used the core without it.”

“At least something good came out of that,” Seeyela said. “Don’t think it means it’s okay to let other tentacle monsters grope you though.”

“Not… really something I was planning on,” Seena stated.

“I’m with your sister on this one,” Hiral said.

“We’re all with my sister on this one,” Seena said.

“Good,” Hiral said, and took a pronounced step back from Seena. Then a few more. “Probably going to be a lot of fire with this. We should warn everybody.”

The party did just that, ushering the crowd back a solid thirty feet from where the woman stood with Li’l Ur on her shoulder.

“Ready?” she asked, hand poised above the flaming window.

“Do it,” Hiral said.

Seena gave him one last smile and lifted her hand.

“Seena, we love you!” a random voice screamed out from the crowd, a small group of seven Grower girls hooting and cheering at the party leader.

“Uh… thank you?” Seena said, then tapped the window in front of her.

As soon as she touched the window, the edges of it quickly burned brighter, pieces of ash and embers falling to the ground below. As they landed, the ash remained in a small pile, while the fiery embers seemed to sprout into small plants. Vines quickly grew from those plants, circling around Seena as more and more of the window burned away.

With the last vestige of the window dropping to the ground, the vines saw a sudden growth spurt, bulging in size and length. Small candle-like flames in place of thorns, the vines wrapped around Seena in a protective sphere… then just… stopped.

“That’s it?” Yanily said after a few seconds. “Her fan club is going to be disappointed.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth, then a BOOOOOM shook the valley. Top blowing off the vine-cocoon, a ball of fire rocketed towards the sky, flames trailing in its wake and shedding flickering light across the camp. Climbing and climbing, the fireball roared as it reached nearly five-hundred feet up, then exploded outward in size. In seconds, a new sun stood burning over the camp, the heat and light making everybody pause to look up.

Lashes of plasma burst across the surface as it shifted. Parted. Bloomed.

All at once, the sun was an opening flower, Seena glowing in the center of it. Smaller and smaller, the sun’s petals pulled back to the center of the woman’s back, until they spread there like six wings of burning red and yellow.

That wasn’t the only change to Seena’s features, either, with her skin having taken on a greenish hue, and the solar energy flowing around her steady and calm.

For the moment.

Something about it warned Hiral it could erupt at the woman’s slightest whim.

Another few seconds, the sun vanished entirely, and Seena gently lowered back to where she’d started on the ground, the crowd silent around her. Lifting her gauntlet-covered hand – now with small plant-roots running across it – she closed and opened her fist.

“Your Aspect?” Yanily asked.

“My Aspect,” Seena agreed, mouth parting in a smile. “Why didn’t you ever say it felt like this?”

“And ruin the surprise?” Yanily said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“For once, I agree with you,” Seena said. “I can’t wait to try this out.”

“And we will,” Hiral said. “Very soon.”

“Seena! Seena you’re the best!” that same voice from earlier shouted, while the gaggle of girls hopped up and down.

“How soon?” Seena asked Hiral out of the side of her mouth.

“Not that soon,” Hiral chuckled, then looked at his party. His friends.

They’d been through a lot in the Cradle of Tomorrow so far. But, it was worth it. They all had advanced classes now. A few more B-Rank trials to get that last push, then they’d be ready to step into A-Rank.

He’d gotten a taste of that when he’d fought the Ex-General. He wanted more.

And, they’d need it for what came next. If he was right, Vorinal had answers about the Raze. Answers they needed if they wanted to stop the Enemy and their masters without getting sacrificed to the PIMP’s plans.

Then again, if anybody could do it, it was the people around him right now. The people he trusted with his life. That he’d protect with his life.

The PIMP. Vorinal. The Raze. It didn’t matter who came, he and his friends would find a way to win.

That was Hiral’s will. His reality.

It would come to pass.

Fin

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