Chapter 116: Prophet of the End

‘Your request for a Party of your peers is denied. We will take your debrief about the boy under advisement, but the church has more concerns in the world than a single Deceiver. Concentrating such a staggering amount of military might into the hands of one man is both a dangerous precedent to set, and against our ethos of uplifting humankind equally. If you are incapable of capturing a single Deceiver, please let us know, and we will return you to your retirement.’

-          The High Saint’s Council

‘I understand and will act accordingly.’

-          Caddock, level 65 Paladin

**Jason Salazar**

Sacrifice detected…attempting to generate Class Seed… Success

Generating seed….

Glory Eagle

2 resistance, 1 focus,  2 strength.

Glory, Inspiration

…Who doesn’t like Glory?

Jason glanced down at the two remaining sacrifices in his hand, weighing his options. Enchantress in one hand, a branch from the Tree of Empires in the other.

Weighing his options.

He had two tags that leaned towards his Hype Man Class: Myth from Will’s hand, and Glory from the eagle.

If he Sacrificed the Enchantress, he would definitely get some Charm Ability options. Those were super cool. The Tree of Empires…What were it’s effects?

The Tree of Empires was probably the stronger Sacrifice, because he’d never heard of it before, and the church of Granesh likely grabbed the best of the best for their Prophet.

Two points of growth over thirty levels was quite the difference.

But…

But do I want to be trapped in a Class I don’t even enjoy for the sake of better stats?

Jason took a deep breath and set aside the Enchantress sacrifice. There was more to life than the title of your Class. The Church of Granesh had wanted this specific combination for him because they knew it would be amazing.

Deliberately crippling himself because he ‘enjoyed’ the idea of something more felt…childish. When he was an old man, would he appreciate being locked into a decision he had made at twelve? Jason doubted it.

For the sake of old me, I’ll add the Tree of Empires.

It wouldn’t be the end of the world if he didn’t get Charm abilities.

Jason placed the hunk of wax-wrapped wood on the altar.

Sacrifice detected…attempting to generate Class Seed… Success

Generating seed….

Tree of Empires

1 resistance, 2 focus, 2 acuity,

Destiny, Growth, Empire

Class Seeds Acquired, generating Class…

..

….

…..

Class Generated. Speak or think ‘status’ to see your information

“Status.” Jason said, his body practically vibrating with excitement.

Jason Salazar

Prophet of the End Level 1

2 Strength

1 Kinesthetics

4 Resistance

4 Focus

3 Acuity

Charges: 0/4

Free Points: 1

Please choose your Primary Abilities.

“…Prophet of the End!?” Jason demanded. “The end of what!?”

Prophet of the End:

A Prophet of the End is a storyteller whose tales herald the end of the coil, and all the chaos that implies. They have potent buffing and debuffing Abilities, and a deep connection to myth and legend, particularly that of Ouroboros.

“What’s a coil?”

If the Tower heard him, it didn’t acknowledge his question, instead it began nagging.

Please choose your Primary Abilities.

A Door appeared against the far wall, a glowing yellow portal that led to his Trial.

…After the Tower refused to elaborate for a long while, Jason sighed and nudged The System to show him his options for Primary Abilities.

Hand of Fate

Scales of Ouroboros

Divine Smite

Withering Repudiation

Relic Seed

Made Manifest

Wildfire Heart

Flagbearer

Hand of Fate

Passive

Active: 1 charge.

Gain the use of an ethereal Hand of Fate. It may passively act as a dowsing rod to locate a hidden objective, or substitute as any number of materials in a scrying ritual. Spend a charge to apply positive or negative luck to an entity. Duration and potency scale with Acuity.

What does luck mean?

*‘luck’ is a complex buff, whereby for the duration, the Ability creates a 2-state quantum superposition for a percentage of events involving the target within a certain radius. For each superposition, The System then chooses the state most beneficial for the target from among the states, collapsing the superposition and enforcing that outcome.

I didn’t get half of that. Jason frowned. Maybe if I knew what a superposition was, I’d be impressed?

…It makes some events turn out slightly better than they would’ve, within the constraints of what could’ve likely happened. It does not immediately make people start falling on their own swords or suffer brain aneurysms.

…So it’s bad? Jason asked.

Just tempering your expectations.

Nodding, Jason moved on to the next one.

Scales of Ouroboros

Active: 5 Charge

Create an ethereal scale somewhere on the body. (max 20). When the user is wounded, consumes the scale and reverts the damage. Scales with Focus.

That’d be great if I could afford it. Next.

Divine Smite

Active: 5 Charge

Channel the wrath of your patron to smite those who oppose you. Scales with Acuity.

Jason let out an exasperated grumble. Why is everything so expensive? I can’t choose this for my Primaries, I’d never be able to use it.

…Well that’s not entirely true, Jason admitted. He’d be getting his dailies at level 2, which was a real feat.

Come to think of it, I have a spare stat point. I could use these at level 1! Once a week, sure, but I could.

I guess it’s an option. Next.

Withering Repudiation

Active: 1 charge

Explain to an opponent in line of sight exactly why you don’t like them. Inflicts paralysis and psychic damage over time as long as the user continues to speak. Language Dependent. Scales with Acuity.

Language dependent. Do they have to understand me?

Yes.

So it wouldn’t work on monsters…or people with cotton balls in their ears?

Correct.

Huh. Next.

Relic Seed:

Variable Charge

Harvest a myth sown in an area and condense it down into a prepared Sacrifice to create a Relic Seed which can be added to a Relic to give it powers in line with the myth. The myths harvested this way have a chance to be uprooted and forgotten. As the Relic gains notoriety, the seed will grow in power.

One Relic Seed per Relic. Once planted, Relic Seeds cannot be removed.

The Abyss? Jason frowned. Next.

Made Manifest:

1 Charge:

Cloak target in the ethereal form of a myth that the user has created. The target receives bonuses to their combat skill, Stats and Abilities in relation to the nature of the myth.

Finally, an inexpensive Ability. A little simple, though? The only legends Jason had created was Will. Would that make a Will-ghost overtop the people I summon it on? That would be silly.

I could make more legends though, which would expand the options…

Next!

Wildfire Heart

Passive

Active: 1 Charge

Others are nudged to adopt whatever emotional state the user projects. When used actively, the effect is much stronger, lasts after the act is over, and can transfer between carriers beyond your vicinity for a short time. Scales with and resisted by Focus.

So if I act sad it will make others sad?

Yes.

So if I act suicidal, it’ll make others suicidal?

There are practical and ethical concerns, but yes.

And if I spend a charge it’ll spread like wildfire?

As the name implies.

Hmm…Jason pictured acting suicidal in front of some bad guys and wiping out their whole camp by making them kill themselves.

Then he pictured one of his Party members accidentally getting infected with some of the uncontrollably spreading malaise, then bringing it to an innocent village…and the thought lost a great deal of its luster.

Maybe is should just stick to buffs, debuffs and party tricks rather than use it as an attack.

That would be for the best.

Next!

Flagbearer

Active: 1 charge

Designate one entity as the ‘Flagbearer’. Any ally of the target who can see them receives a large buff as long as the Flagbearer remains alive. Should the flagbearer die or be captured, the buff switches to a minor debuff.

Neat…Now, which two do I pick?

Please choose your Primary Abilities.

I hear you. Jason thought, glancing down at the unhealed blisters on his feet.

Shoot. I should’ve waited before I finished my Class.

He’d just been so excited to see what his Class was going to be, but now…

Please choose your Primary Abilities.

Damnit. The next two weeks is gonna suck.

Please choose your Primary Abilities.

**William Oh**

It’s too bad I’m on the opposite side of the Hunting Grounds from Ashwood, Will thought as The Tower loomed larger above him. It would add an extra day to his trip to go around and visit the orphanage, and Jason was likely to come out of hiding soon, and Will needed to be present for it.

Not to mention, I don’t know if Gertrude has orders to kill me on site.

On one hand, it felt strange that Granesh created as many orphanages as they did, considering how many of the Deceivers they wound up harboring.

On the other, it made a certain sense, allowing them to keep a close eye on every boy and girl who went through their system, and target the ones who might cause them trouble.

In need of a bit of rest and an ounce of water, Will staggered into a dusty little village just outside the tower and collapsed onto a stool near the inn’s bar.

“What’ll it be, Aspirant?” The Innkeeper said.

I still look like an aspirant? Will thought, glancing down at himself.

He was wearing ragged clothes stained and torn from throwing himself through multiple trees. bits of dirt and twigs adhered to the tree sap peppering his body.

He looked almost as bad as when he first got started, save for the Relics he was wearing.

Maybe they just aren’t that impressive.

“Soup of the day and water.” Will said, sliding a silver piece on the bar, which the Inkeeper pocketed with magic-trick smoothness.

“How much you want?” he grunted.

“Until the silver stops covering it.” Will said. “Or I stop eating.”

“Soup’s mushroom and possum.”

“I ain’t picky,” Will said.

The innkeeper nodded and returned with a massive bowl of soup and a mug of water.

“Check it out, this kid’s loaded,” Will heard a snarky voice emerge from the corner of the room, where four young men, each a year or so older than Will, standing from their table to saunter towards him.

Will raised a brow, getting some soup down his throat before the local Bully Squad arrived.

And they must be locals. They wore aspirant chainmail, nonmagical weapons and armor. The best a well-to-do merchant of modest success could afford.

Not quite as rich as a legacy kid from the Ring, but well-afforded.

Like Ben.

That’s who they remind me of. My ambitious ‘friend’ who got himself killed trying to take what didn’t belong to him.

The cocky arrogance, the superficial charm, the knot of friends.

I never really thought about it, but Ben wasn’t…a great guy, was he? A monster in the making, stillborn before power could truly corrupt him.

“Where’d you get those Relics? Your grandpa’s attic?” The lead Bully said with a confident grin.

History repeats itself.

Will thought back to Baron Akul, who requested a traumatic thrashing for his grandson, to instill a sense of caution.

Really, I’d be doing them a favor by kicking their asses.

“I got these last week, off some Climbers I killed,” Will said, tugging the ring off his finger with his teeth and placing it on the bar. It wouldn’t do for them to think the Relics were the reason they lost.

A wave of uproarious laughter filled the air, while Will smoothly took off his amulet, dropping it on the bar with a clunk.

“Who the hell does this kid think he is, William Oh?”

Another gale of laughter spread through the tavern while the innkeeper shot nervous glances at Will, eyes slowly widening.

“Hey,” One of the kids in the back tapped the lead bully in the shoulder and pointed at Will.

“What?”

“The hand.”

Will used his toes to slip out of his boots, gently placing the warhammer on the bar.

“What, umm…what’s your name again?” the leader said, his gaze lingering on the scabbed over stump where Will’s left hand was truncated.

“…You’re ‘bout to find out.” Will said, stepping away from the bar.

“…Danny, we’re gonna go! Money’s on the table!” their leader said to the innkeeper before the four of them turned tail and hustled out the door.

Will frowned, cocking his head as he watched them disappear through the swinging doors.

“Huh.”

“That’s normal people for you. How far did you get, kid?” ‘Danny’ asked, wiping down the bar.

“Sixth floor,” Will said, sitting back down.

“Makes sense. People that get past the Fourth Floor treat a fight to the death like an amusing pastime.”

“I wasn’t gonna kill ‘em.” Will muttered into his mug.

“Sure. Anything else I can get yah?” the innkeeper asked.

“Just the soup is fine,” Will said, waving him off, staring into the broth and wondering how much he’d changed.

I wasn’t gonna kill them. Now that he thought about it, he had been using the Stormfists to travel faster since he landed on the other side of the Granesh quarantine line. If he so much as tapped one of the Aspirants and the lightning effect triggered, would it have killed one of them?

Okay, I might’ve killed one of them.