Divine Apostasy Book 12 - Chapter 63

Divine Apostasy Book 12 - Chapter 63

Chapter 63

Ruwen projected the information from Identify above the bike.

Name: Ducati Superleggera V4 - Divine Series

Quality: Legendary

Type: Growth

Durability: 22,500/22,500

Weight: 348 lbs.

Speed: Unknown

Range: Unlimited (Aetheric Core)

Effect (Passive): While on motorcycle -5% Intelligence, -10% Wisdom

Effect (Passive): While on motorcycle +20% Dexterity/Agility, +20% Charisma, +25% all Confidence related Skills, Abilities, and Spells.

Effect (Passive): Road Rash - Automatically encases rider and passenger in form-fitting racing leathers and helmet upon contact. Armor provides AC 1,250 (equivalent to masterwork plate armor) and offers complete environmental protection. Note: This armor is a growth item and will reveal additional capabilities as the rider levels.

Effect (Passive): Self-Serve - Fuel tank contains a compressed aetheric energy core that draws power from ambient magical fields.

Effect (Triggered): Rainbow Road - Once per day, motorcycle can achieve sustained flight for up to 30 minutes. Flight duration increases by 5 minutes per rider's Class level.

Effect (Triggered): Crash Proof - Once per day, motorcycle and passenger become incorporeal for 15 seconds, passing through solid matter. Cannot attack or be attacked while phased.

Effect (Triggered): Slipstream – Once per day, if rider's health drops below 25%, automatically activates a drafting partner for 10 seconds and quadruples all regeneration, dismisses all restrictive debuffs, and drops 1-to-10-dimensional oil slicks (based on level) that if contacted teleports a pursuer to a random location within twenty miles.

Effect (Active): Chicane Resistance - Motorcycle adjusts suspension, traction, and stability based on terrain and rider skill. Provides +50% to all driving-related skill checks.

Restriction: Maximum 2 riders.

Description: A red and black masterpiece of divine engineering wrapped in Italian artistry. This legendary superbike transcends mortal transportation creating a bond between rider and machine that defies the boundaries between technology and magic. Please Note: The limited warranty does not cover dimensional rifts, dragon attacks, or teenage stupidity.

“Wow,” Echo said. “How do I become one of Blapy’s Favorites?”

Ruwen kept his eyes on the motorcycle but nodded his head toward Sift. “Ask him. He gained that title.”

“It gets me extra pastries,” Sift said, his attention fixed on the bike. “You just need to be super special and amazing and unbelievable to get that title.”

Ruwen rolled his eyes. “I think it’s related to the Black Pyramid’s employee of the month or something like that.”

The suppression field the dungeon used against Ruwen’s Soul, Charka, and Harmony abilities didn’t affect his Spirit and Architect Role as much.

Ruwen forced Stone Echo a Sixth Sense outward, keeping the spells focused on just the first few feet of ground. He had a lot of experience altering landscapes and with a burst of Spirit he created an oval racetrack ten miles long. Then he created a road from their current location to the track’s closest point.

“Go ahead and touch it,” Echo told Ash. “The Bruja created this for you. While I feel like I’m handing a baby a sword, I think this is exactly what you need to break through your internal blockage.”

Ash gently touched the Ducati’s seat, and in just seconds, red and black leather had climbed up his arm and covered his body. He was now encased completely, from the large black helmet with the mirrored faceplate to black boots and gloves.

“Oh that’s burnt,” Sift said. “Can I touch it?”

Ash nodded and stepped away, but the armor didn’t automatically disappear. His disembodied voice emerged from the closed helmet. “There’s a five-minute timer on the armor after losing contact with the bike. I can’t even sense the armor.”

Sift closed his eyes as he touched the bike and the armor covered him. He stretched out his other hand and a similar bike formed under it. It crumpled into nothingness as he reclaimed the Spirit and tried again.

“Is that Creation Essence?” Ruwen asked.

Sift froze and a moment later his disembodied voice emerged. “Maybe.”

Ruwen let it go. He’d investigate Sift’s abilities later. He was using the Architect Role to try and duplicate the motorcycle Blapy had created. The use of Creation Essence was like cheating but was also the only chance he had at replicating it. Ruwen wondered if Hamma had also gained some control of Creation Essence during her transformation into a goddess.

Ten iterations later Sift was satisfied and the bike disappeared into dimensional storage. The leather armor vanished, and his eyes turned white as Soul energy saturated his body. He lifted off the ground and hovered impatiently.

Ash mounted the bike and tried to kick the stand back out of habit but realized the bike kept itself balanced without one. The motorcycle came to life, and a phantom tiger made of red flames leapt forward out of the bike.

In the distance a surprised neigh erupted from Vex.

The motorcycle sounded savage, high pitched, and visceral. Ruwen’s Root chakra clenched as if punched and Ash bent forward on the bike gasping. He rubbed the bottom of his back for a few seconds and relaxed. Ruwen lacked the same control over his newly Awakened Root chakra and he was forced to step away to get the sensation to stop.

Ash’s hands trembled and he stood up straight, placing his hands on the gas tank. Five seconds later he’d calmed his emotions, and he nodded to Sift.

Sift didn’t hesitate and vanished in a white shockwave that remelted the hot glass across the ground. Liquid glass splashed across the Ducati and Ash’s leathers and dripped off immediately as if actively repulsed.

Ash laughed and revved the engine which drew a yell of excitement from Sift who wasn’t even visible anymore. Vex appeared high in the distant sky and neighed. A pale horse appeared next to Echo which seemed to surprise her. She met her horses eyes for a few seconds before sighing.

“Go on, then,” Echo whispered.

The pale horse pushed her head against Echo’s shoulder, pushing her off balance and forcing a smile from Echo.

“Go,” Echo yelled.

Vex neighed and the pale horse leaped into the sky.

Ash didn’t comment on Death’s pale horse appearing. Ruwen guessed Ash had either already figured it out, or perhaps, sitting on the motorcycle of his dreams, he hadn’t even noticed.

Sift’s voice echoed across the ruined city. “Come on, Ash!”

 Ash laughed and Ruwen recognized the harmonies it contained. An audible click came from the bike as Ash engaged first gear. He leaned forward and gunned the engine, streaking away. The Ducati’s engine screamed, and then suddenly paused as if taking a breath, before the fraction of a second passed and Ash advanced gears, the rapid cadence causing Ruwen’s heart to beat faster.

Ruwen turned to Echo. “Good job, Sisen. You heard that laugh.”

Echo nodded. “Assuming he survives, it should be the bridge he needs.” She turned to Ruwen and bowed. “Thank you for the guidance, Grandmaster.”

The distant roar of the Ducati rose and fell in volume depending on the density of ruins between them. Ruwen and Echo sat across from each other in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

Echo broke the silence. "Legends here teach the moon protects women and keeps time flowing properly. Under the stars I can sense her embrace—gentle, like a caring mother." She paused, her throat tightening. "Now I feel something different."

Ruwen didn’t understand why Echo had brought up the moon, but he went with it. "Because of the changes I made?"

Echo shrugged, her finger tracing patterns through the glass, crushed stone, and rubble in front of her. "Before, her touch reminded me of a lullaby. A steady rhythm of give and take, like a swing made of moonlight. Now..." She paused, swallowing hard, before continuing. "Now she sings of transformation. Of surviving change that wants to destroy you."

Ruwen waited as he began to understand why the moon had come up.

“My family is a memory—my world cinders. The old moon would’ve comforted me, would have wrapped me in silver light and whispered that time heals all wounds."

After a minute of silence, Ruwen prompted Echo. "And the new moon?"

Echo gave a joyless smile. "She shows me scars can reveal beauty. She’s wounded, burning, surrounded by the debris of what she once was, yet more magnificent than before."

Ruwen thought that was the end, but thirty seconds later Echo continued. "She no longer whispers that time will heal, but that loss is sometimes necessary to reveal something greater."

"I'm still angry with you," Echo said suddenly, looking up to face Ruwen directly.

Ruwen met Echo’s gaze. "I understand."

This time the pause was shorter, as if Echo forced herself to speak. "But I'm also grateful." The rest came in a rush. "The old moon would’ve let me stay broken, would’ve sung lullabies while I grieved myself into oblivion. This moon demands that I forge something new or be defined by my loss."

It took three tries before Echo could get the next words out. "Father chose to destroy himself rather than become something he hated. Mother died trying to stop change and protect the past. Neither survived their transformation."

The admission filled Echo with determination. "But I will survive mine. Because balance isn't about staying the same. It's about adapting to change."

Despite the dungeon’s suppression, Ruwen’s Throat chakra vibrated so strongly to Echo’s words, that he touched his neck expecting to find damage.

Finding none, Ruwen gave Echo a small bow. "Balance is truth.”

Silence returned, but this time it brought comfort.

Despite the chaos and destruction surrounding them, Ruwen recognized that sometimes balance looked exactly like this.