III-58 Skin

Note: So. Well. Here’s the last chapter. Last bit. No more. No more stories for Jackie. No more. Most of you know what happened. So. I’m not

Note: So. Well. Here’s the last chapter. Last bit. No more. No more stories for Jackie. No more. Most of you know what happened. So. I’m not going to get into that. I don’t think I can.

Eighty years. Eighty beautiful years. We lived through a lot of stuff together. A lot of it wonderful. A lot of it terrible. Eighty years. Three kids. 1244 campaigns. Five dimensions. Three worlds. We lived lifetimes compared to most people. We worked miracles and faced nightmares.

And it wasn’t enough. It was never enough. And now it will never be enough. Never again.

I love you, Jackie.

I’ll always love you. And a part of me died with you in my arms.

But I suppose there’s no way out of it. I suppose not.

The system wants us to war. There is no forever. Sooner or later, we all get cut down.

Let that be the final bit you read about the Memoirs. You don’t get to finish your own story. Someone will write your final lines. And then they’ll fall too. Our legends don’t belong to us. The system feeds. Pathless to Legend, we’re all just food in the end.

-Memoirs of a Master-Tier War Mage (Final Chapter)

III-58

Skin

Shiv let out a final breath as he regarded the black static veil of the Tutorial Gateway. Every beat of his heart was like an explosion going off within his chest. He regarded the others once more and clamped down on his nervousness.

"If you're going to ask us to back out, you can forget about it," Adam said. He was slightly sweating. His heart was beating fast, too. Adam was likely more nervous than Shiv was. The Gatelord didn't get along well with the orcs, but even so, he insisted on coming through. And Shiv found that touching, though he would never admit it to Adam. 

He and the Young Lord had come a long way since they first descended into the Abyss.

Uva, Can Hu, and Valor comparatively betrayed little of their anxiety. But Shiv had been with Uva long enough to tell that she was on alert. Her posture was stiff. She had practiced drawing a short sword earlier, indicating a preparedness for violence. And she kept the group mentally connected to each other, like they were prepared to enter a battlefield. Luckily, they were getting ready to enter a battle, rather than receive a Biomancy lesson. With the orcs, however, both of those could be one and the same.

"Shiv," Valor spoke out. "Remember this. Clinging to a worry does not stop it from coming to pass. Anxiety is not easy. Our fears are true. But if you cannot solve them, it is best to act, rather than wait and be forced to react."

And that was the final bit of incentive Shiv needed. He stepped forward. He splashed into the veil of dimensionality. And the world grew tight with pressure as he transitioned across dimensions. In an instant, he went from the gate and arrived in the tutorial. However, the sight that greeted him wasn't what he expected. 

Previously, the Tutorial Gateway was built upon a tall ziggurat, one that overlooked a wide expanse. Shiv expected to see orc encampments running in every direction, campfires casting trails of smoke high up into the air, the Court Leviathan hanging just above. Instead, he was in a teleportation anchor. One that already had most of its internal spell work completed.

"What in the hell is this?" Adam commented, about as surprised as Shiv was.

Uva stared at the spell work and she let out a quiet scoff. "They're mocking us."

Shiv turned to look at her. "What?"

"We've installed teleportation anchors and checkpoints on our side of the gateway. They're doing the same to mock us."

"Oh, hello there, Insul. I didn't realize you were going to be arriving so soon." On the other side, Shiv heard Tequila's voice come through. Unlike with Ikki, however, his voice was projected through a series of spells. "We put up some magical precautions and added a checkpoint on our end just in case you feel unsafe. We know all about safety here in the Tutorial." 

Thankfully, Shiv could hear the orc snickering to himself.

"Great, you've had your fun," Shiv said with a faint sneer, "let us through."

"Just a moment, we're scanning you for any dangerous pathogens. Also, when was the last time you took a shower? I'm reading a great amount of germs and filth on your body."

Shiv folded his arms and frowned. "Yeah, like you guys shower."

"We do," Tequila said. "We have Hydromancers here who make clouds for us. A great deluge comes and we stand in the open, scrubbing each other with the most voluminous bars of soap you might see across ten dimensions. Some orcs find it very sensual.”

Part of Shiv suspected the orc was bullshitting him. Unfortunately, this also sounded like something the orcs might actually do.

The surrounding spells flashed one final time, and a hiss of air spilled into the teleportation anchor. A few moments later, it opened up and Shiv was surprised for a second time. Most of the encampments were gone, and in their place were a series of small forts. Heavy, dome-shaped buildings rose from the ground and were connected to each other through a network of trenches. Atop the dome-shaped buildings were a series of large-barreled mortars. They slightly resembled the weapon Mortar carried on his back, and Shiv guessed that was no coincidence either. The only thing that was consistent with before was the sky and the Court Leviathan hanging high above.

"What the hell is this?" Shiv muttered.

"Oh," Tequila said, greeting Shiv on the other side with both arms clasped behind his back. "We decided to do some renovations of our own, make some upgrades, since we are going to be dedicating our service to..." Tequila waved a hand. "Do you have a name for the gate yet? It's important to name things. I would be deeply, deeply sad on your behalf if you didn't name the gate. That would indicate a great state of overwork."

Shiv stared at Adam from the corner of his eye. "Yeah, you know, I'm not calling it Gate Arrow."

"It's the best name we have," Adam insisted.

"It most certainly is not," Uva interjected.

"Well, I don't see you two coming up with a name."

"I did come up with a name," Shiv reminded Adam. "I called it Gate Asshole."

"Piety," Can Hu suddenly suggested. All eyes turned on the Penitent.

"Gate Piety," Tequila said, testing the name on his tongue. “Interesting.”

"Piety," Adam echoed.

"Correct," Can Hu said. "I believe that is what you three were most likely mentally arguing about."

Shiv stared at the penitent for a moment. "And you know we were arguing?"

"The facial expressions mostly," Valor answered on Can Hu's behalf.

"Why Piety?" Can Hu was asked.

"Because Adam's current actions are most pious. He is dedicating a great deal of effort to saving his father and his people. That, and the threat that faces us is one connected to faith. I believe this makes Piety a suitable name for now. It could be changed later if we have a better idea, or we can adopt Gate Arrow for convenience. If the name truly displeases, I can continue brainstorming. I will not be offended if my suggestion is rejected."

Shiv looked at Adam. "Piety," Adam repeated. "Piety, I like it. That's quite a tasteful name. Very well, Gate Piety," Adam declared confidently to Tequila.

"Piety," the orc muttered, then slowly he grinned. "But I think Gate Prodigal might sound better. Wouldn't you agree, Penitent? 

“As in a son returning home." The automaton slowly turned to a glowering Adam, but considered the orc's word for a moment. "Partially suitable. However, the conflict goes beyond just the Gate Lord himself."

"Oh, so you take in all the context. Very good," Tequila said. The look on his face suggested that his compliments were genuine. He gestured with a hand, welcoming the group into the tutorial. "Whatever the case, our good friend Helix is waiting for you aboard the Court Leviathan, Insul. But there are several other maestros that require your attention. Bonk wishes to see you to continue your previous training. The Amnesiac wishes to talk with you regarding the prisoners and how best to spend their lives. He and the other Psychomancers have some funny things planned. Mortar wants to talk about campaign strategies and enemy hardpoints at Los Angeles. And you have a challenger."

"A challenger?" Shiv asked. "You mean, what kind of challenger?"

"Nothing martial," Tequila laughed. "No, an orc cook known as BBQ-39999 wishes to see how skilled you are in the kitchen." The orc placed a large hand beside his lips and whispered to Shiv, "I might have talked your skills up a little."

"BBQ, huh? Well, I think I'm going to go say hi to him later." Despite everything, this got Shiv a little excited. "Hey, listen, do you have any other cooking Maestros around here?"

"Plenty," Tequila said with a smirk, "but a great deal of us are so shy. BBQ was among the braver of the bunch. After you have an exchange with him, perhaps the others will be more willing to come out of their shells and hidey-holes."

"Alright then, I think I'll get to him after all the actual work gets done."

"And your companions?" the orc said, looking over the others following Shiv. "Will they be joining you?"

"Yeah," Shiv replied, trying to keep any hint of nervousness out of his voice. Even so, Shiv caught a glint in the orc's eye.

"Wonderful. Contrary to what you may believe, we orcs do love more company. Especially from such an esteemed Pathbearer as you, oh great Valor. Even this broken, diminished version of you."

"Your compliments are received, Tequila," Valor said in return. "Which reminds me, have you seen my nemesis recently? It has been some time since they have come to make an attempt on my life."

And for the first time, Tequila's expression flickered a little. Shiv noticed a hint of unease creep through the orc's expression. "Not quite yet. He should be making his way out of the Cage of Existentiality."

"Yes," Valor said with a vigorous nod. "I have full confidence that he will develop the morality, remorse, and sympathy needed to escape from the final trial. If not soon, then at least within the next thousand years."

Shiv blinked. "The hell did you do to your nemesis?"

"It is not what I am doing to him, Shiv," Valor sighed. "What he is doing to himself, and what the itch is doing to him, after a good few centuries of nonviolence."

"Doesn't that kill an orc?"

"In most cases. Alas, the Cage of Existentiality does not wish for you to die. It is a place where many Pathbearers can go to discover themselves, if they have the means to access it, of course. Or if they are thrown in by someone else." Valor's final few words developed an edge, and Tequila backpedaled slightly.

"Now, now, let's not keep our dear Helix waiting. He has been so patient."

***

"I did not expect you to bring company with you, Insul," Helix said, eyeing Valor in particular.

The bridge of the Court Leviathan was livelier than ever. For the first time, Blood Horrors wandered the interior, but they had been modified. Their bodies were larger than human. They resembled misshapen orcs, but rather than being clones, their bodies sprouted brutal tumors that coated their flesh. Their limbs were also branching lengths of teratoma, red teeth, and jutting bones sticking free like natural weapons. Most of all, their heads were disfigured. Their mouths and eyes and ears were all in the wrong place.

Uva regarded the orc abominations with a hint of disgust, and her body language went from one of reserved readiness to active resistance. It took a great deal of effort on her part to restrain herself from attacking any of the Blood Horrors. 

"The hell is this, Helix?" Shiv asked. He gestured at the Blood Horrors, at the many orcs now completely fused with the Court Leviathan's inner walls. The bridge itself had been changed as well. Rather than the regal throne room the vampires had, the orcs had grown a series of pods along the ground, orc-sized pods that certain Biomancers lay in, interfacing with the great leviathan. Strange sinuous organs were attached to their eyes, their ears, and even their skin.

"This," Helix replied, "this is simply us restoring the Court Leviathan to its full potential. You understand why it takes so many Biomancers to pilot one Court Leviathan? Because its flesh is complicated. Everyone has different stations and organs to manage. Alas, it doesn't need to be this way," the orc crinkled his nose in disgust. "The Court Leviathan's many minds, many brains have far less furrows than they should have. They could have made this creature very intelligent, yet it is simple. But that is the way of the vampiric parasite, to create dependency. For that's the world they know, dependency from top to bottom.”

“Sounds like the vampires,” Shiv grumbled

"Utterly inefficient is what it sounds like," Helix criticized. "Whatever the case, I have also taken the liberty of refurbishing your quarters."

"Oh, you know my living preferences, huh?" Shiv asked.

"Don't be absurd, Insul. You have barely any living preferences. Or at least you're only currently developing living preferences. Your behavior screams feral street urchin more often than not. And your personal belongings... well, the only belonging you seem to treasure is that blade you have. Not the one you use in combat. The one you use to cook.”

Shiv stared at Helix for a long moment. "Helix, I'm just going to ask you a single question. Is there a kitchen inside the room?"

"The room is a kitchen," Helix replied. "That's the only thing that you truly treasure aside from the knife, isn't it?"

Shiv let out a long sigh. “I’m obvious as shit.”

"Don't worry. It's not so bad, being simple.”

“It will be bad for you, specifically, if you continue playing mind games with him," Uva said, not bothering to hide the malice in her voice.

Helix looked down at the armored Umbral. He squinted for a moment and adjusted his spectacles before he finally smirked. "Ah, yes. The pale elf. So, Insul, you've finally grown bold enough to—"

"My presence was not decided by him," Uva continued, "only agreed upon. And should you persist in your social manipulation, I'm going to discover what you find dearest to you. Your biomancy knowledge, for instance. And I'm going to start peeling pieces away," Uva said.

Helix's mouth fell open a little.

"Not major pieces," Uva continued her threat. "Just small pieces. Small enough that it will inconvenience your work, force you to relearn things, rather than experience damage altogether. I understand that practical metabiology cannot be undone by memory loss alone, but it can be negatively affected if your instincts point one way, and you are missing all the proper experiences to guide it."

Both Shiv and Helix stared at Uva. Holy shit, Shiv thought. I forgot how terrifying Psychomancy could be sometimes. That, and he was beginning to feel a flame in his gut.

"Yes, well," Helix pushed his spectacles up along the bridge of his nose, "there's no need for such coarse coercion. I was merely showing how attentive I am to the Insul’s habits. Now, Shiv, the armor."

"Yes," Can Hu said suddenly. He took two loud steps forward, his joints letting out faint creaks. "Show us the armor. Show me how good this armor can be."

Helix let out an exasperated scoff. "Insul , are all of your companions going to be here the entire time? We don't need a peanut gallery. It's not conducive for learning."

"But we aren't a peanut gallery," Valor added. "We are also prospective students. Shiv has told us a great deal about your skill. We wish to learn too. We wish to see how good you are at biomancy."

The orc glared at the Legendary Pathbearer, and he turned the same glare on the rest of Shiv's group. "Very well, then. A demonstration."

***

Shiv produced his Husk of the Voidmantid and a spare set of adamantine bone armor. The merging was conducted within one of the Court Leviathan's internal rooms, now repurposed into a practice chamber. Shiv stood across from Helix as the orc connected both the Husk of the Voidmantid with the adamantine armor using strings of helix-shaped blood infused with the faint glow of Biomancy mana. "Observe closely," Helix said. "Feel what I'm doing using your Biomancy."

Shiv extended one of his mana hydras, and immediately his Biomancy clashed against Helix's. However, the two pieces of armor lit up as spell renderings. A complex array of micro-spells and interconnected patterns danced across his vision. Shiv tried to take in all the details, but it was like trying to remember every star in the night sky. Without further increases to his memorization, he wouldn't be able to properly recall what pattern was found where. And without practical metabiology, he didn't know what they represented anyway. However, he did know that the parts which were alight could merge together far easier than the parts that couldn't. And right now, most of the micro-spells he saw were glowing.

"They're glowing because of the Basilisk biomass," Helix pointed at Shiv's bone armor. "The inclusion of regeneration, natural bio-electrically guided regeneration at that, was a wise decision. Among the wisest you could make when it comes to creating a biological construct. Do you know why that is?"

"I'd assume you're going to explain that to me," Shiv said.

"Have a guess first."

Shiv considered his basilisk-infused armor for a moment. "It regenerates and it can maintain its form. Maybe it's something to do with the bio-electricity, makes different organic parts and tissues come together better. It has something of an innate intelligence."

"Yes," Helix said, "innate intelligence." That wasn't what Shiv expected.

"So what, you're saying that the biology has smartened itself?"

"I'm saying that every cell in your body, every little organism, no matter how microscopic, that makes up a larger organism, is part of a system. And the system likely has intelligence unto itself, such as why we call it a system. It is an organized pattern, so to speak, or it has patterns to its organization." 

Immediately, that made Shiv think about the System itself. The system that gave him all his skills, that empowered everyone, that engineered so much conflict across all of Integration. So, just how micro of an organism am I? the Deathless thought.

Philosophy 12 > 13

"And because of the bioelectricity, which technically allows different cells to communicate with each other, to let them know what is the optimal state for them to be, and avoid replication errors, avoid drifting, avoid mutations, if you will, they can be merged with other structures, so long as the basilisk flesh isn't rejected. And there," Helix moved to the few parts of the spell, the few patterns that didn't glow. "Parts like these, they need to be adapted. As both of these armors have regeneration, one must supersede the other. The basilisk's regeneration is natural, albeit slower. I would say I prefer that, rather than the enchantment."

Shiv paused. "Why not? Why not the enchantment?"

"Because the enchantment regeneration also includes immunological defenses. Immunology is an entirely separate structure for your body. Right now your immunology has been addressed, dramatically boosted by your Plaguefueled skill."

"Huh," Shiv said. "So, any disorders my body develops will be removed by my immune system."

"Yes," the orc frowned for a beat. "However, I am slightly offended by how the system classifies the skill. It seems to regard it more as a physical skill, rather than a knowledge-based one. I suppose that's accurate. It is, after all, a bastard cousin to Toughness and Magical Resistance.”

“So, are we going to remove the regeneration enchantment?"

"No," the orc laughed. "Challenger no. It would be such a waste. Instead, we are simply going to avoid connecting those two parts. And you will be wearing a dual-layered armor. It will make it immensely heavier, but..." Helix looked Shiv up and down. "Weight doesn't seem to bother you."

"Frankly, I'd like more weight sometimes," Shiv replied. "And if it does get too heavy, I'll just drain it using my knife."

"Good," Helix said. "Very good. Now, I will guide you through the process. Follow me, do what I do, and, if you can, intuit the reasons why." 

The orc began without preamble. More strings of blood shot between the armor and drew them close. Shiv watched as connections began to build between specific spell patterns. He pushed them together as well, trying to replicate what Helix did. But where Helix flowed in his Biomancy, assembling the two armors together on a magical level, Shiv worked in stutters and stops, trying to keep up with what Helix was doing. 

Both armors glowed blood-red now, completely suffused by mana.

Through the nearby observation window, the rest of the group looked on. Can Hu stood at the center, its piercing green optics pressed against the transparent material separating the two rooms. Helix made a gesture, and Shiv watched as certain spell patterns began to shift. They turned like wheels and glided from the insides of the armor’s overarching structure until they were outside. 

The Voidmantid armor began to shift, parts of it twisted and furled. It ceased to retain its original damaged form. At the same time, Helix rearranged parts of the bone adamantine armor. However, instead of rearranging it biologically, he did it physically. He shifted a few of the plates out of the way, adjusted some bones, widened the eyes, and generally made the armor bigger. And then the orc Biomancer gestured at Shiv. "Connect that which glows."

Shiv hesitated for a moment, but used his Aegis of Assimilation to consume both armors. As soon as he did, he merged their memorized spell patterns and locked the Voidmantidwithin his adamantine bone armor. As they were formed together, Shiv felt something pulse inside his being. He grinned as a faint feeling of triumph washed through him.

Equipment Obtained: [Husk of the Adamantine Voidmantid]

Tier: Master

Condition: Fine

Composition: Voidmantid Ceramic; Bloodroach Chitin; Deepcrawler Silk; Fleshdrinker Fungi; Bone Adamantine

Enchantments > Compound Ocular Network; Antennal Resonance; Pheromonic Cipher; Master Regeneration; Magnified Vibrosense; Trauma Mantle; Myomeric Amplification; Mycelial Interface; Binding

Skill Gained: Crafting 1 (Initiate)

Most of it had been Helix's effort, guiding him through every step, but he had done it. He'd gained a crafting skill.

"Well," Shiv said, "looks like I'm a crafter now too."

A faint shriek sounded from the observation room. Can Hu's head was pressed hard against the glass-like material. Shiv winced, but Helix ignored the penitent. "Very good. Now you've taken your first step into being more than a blunt weapon."

"My first step?" Shiv said. "All that learning wasn't the first step?"

Helix threw his head back and laughed, but there was no viciousness in the laughter, only the kind of amusement a master might show towards an ignorant pupil. "Life is an endless series of first steps, as is learning. My advice to you, Shiv, learn to love first steps. If you know how to love progress for progress's sake, for the joy of learning itself, no matter what the system takes from you, it cannot break you. Enjoy the climb because you get to climb, not because you want to arrive somewhere." The orc paused for a moment. "All can be taken, but all can be regained. That is the beauty of being a Pathbearer."

Shiv took those words in, and immediately after, he realized why he hated the orc so much. It was because of moments like this. Because they were capable of profundity. Because they were capable of insight and wisdom and inspiration. But they were trapped inside themselves, unable to overcome the monsters that they were. "I'll keep that in mind."

Shiv projected his new armor outward, and as it materialized in a flash of red, he took a single step back to better gaze upon his newly augmented equipment. His new armor resembled the bone adamantine exoskeleton he typically wore, more than the mantid itself. However, strings of muscular tissue ran along its joints and down its limbs. Dense chitinous fibers formed a protective weave between each of the ribs. And atop the bone adamantine was a new layer of ossified material, that crystalline carapace Shiv saw on the Voidmantid armor. 

There were also two antennae sprouting free from the shoulders. They rose in the air and twitched slightly. They reminded Shiv of the appendages jutting from a bug's head. And the eyes were changed as well. No longer did he have open sockets. Instead, there were two lenses lodged in place, compound lenses with hundreds of small eyes. Once again, quite like an insect's. Now the armor adopted a darker, faintly green hue as well. And as Shiv placed a hand on it, he felt it warm to his touch, respond to tactile sensation.

"Well, that doesn't look half bad," Adam commented.

Can Hu immediately wheeled on him. "There are several flaws," Can Hu began. "It also looks incredibly aesthetically displeasing, especially at the eyes. Moreover, it will not be able to service him in desperate combat situations. The armor does not have an augmented intelligence suite."

"No," Helix said, "but it should augment his intelligence in place of his awareness. He'll be able to notice things from further away now. Could he do that with you, Penitent?"

"Yes," Can Hu nearly shrieked. "Yes! I have high-definition optics! I can see across multiple spectrums of color!"

"You could or you can right now?" Helix asked. Can Hu went quiet. The Orc biomancer let out a brief chuckle. "So you see, his current armor is superior in terms of quality."

"For now," the Penitent said, its voice cold and filled with venom. "Only for now." Both Shiv and Helix looked on at the automaton, unsure how to respond. Then Helix waved at Shiv.

"Try the armor on, see how it works." Can Hu immediately stomped away, turning to face the other direction. Somehow, despite being a mechanical entity, its body language screamed disgust and outrage.

I'm gonna need to cook him some special soup later to make sure he's not too pissed off, Shiv thought to himself. The Deathless sent out two mana hydras, and using them, he opened the armor. It expanded like it did before, but its insides were layered in mycelial fibers. They glistened with soft amber undertones, and something about the warmth that emanated from within felt very inviting. 

Shiv took a step inside, and he slid his arms and legs into place. True to his expectations, the mycelial mesh fit him like a glove, but only a second thereafter, it sank into his skin. It seemed to even meld with him, and suddenly it didn't feel like Shiv was wearing armor at all. Rather, it was like he had grown an external shell around his body, a carapace, an outer skin. As he closed the armor around himself, he felt his muscles surge with even more strength, as his physicality was married to the void-mantid musculature. Additionally, his senses went wild.

He felt a slight tickling rub at his forehead, and as he followed that sensation, he realized it was pointing somewhere.

"That feeling you're getting right now is electromagnetism," Helix said. "Some insects have that naturally, but certain Pathbearers can develop it as a skill."

Shiv stared at Helix's face, and through his compound eyes, he saw every detail about the orc's skin. He focused his gaze, and he zoomed in. Soon, he found himself staring into a pocket of dirt half-filling one of the orc's pores. He also tasted a strange flavor emanating from the orc.

"That is the pheromone you are currently sniffing."

Shiv realized he was breathing in loudly. Wait, no. That wasn't him. That was the armor. It was sucking in air through the gaps lining its chitinous structure. That's just damn weird. He touched his ribs. He could feel the chitin, feel it like it was part of his body. But it wasn't.

"The armor should be entirely synchronized to your movements. Though, if it does take damage, you will likely feel the pain as well. But pain doesn't bother you that much, does it?"

"No," Shiv breathed. "Frankly, it only pisses me off by now."

"Good, good. Then I've made the right choice. Now, how about you go say hello to a few other orcs in the armor, and test it out to make sure nothing is wrong with it along the way. Frankly, you should be able to find any orc using this armor's awareness enchantments, if you know what you're looking for, that is."

"Can I now?" Shiv said. Inside the armor, he licked his lips. "Alright, let's see how good these Awareness enchantments are."

"Uh..." Adam grimaced.

Shiv looked to the Gate Lord. "What?"

"You might want to take it slow."

"Why?" Shiv asked.

"An Awareness Skill is hard to get used to at first." Adam's jaw opened and closed several times. "It's best for you to discover for yourself. I'll help you adapt. There are ways."

And suddenly Shiv's excitement turned to apprehension. Just how bad could improved awareness be?

***

High-tier awareness was the worst thing in existence. Shiv groaned as his head spun, his ears thundered with noise, and his body trembled as another surge of stimuli flooded his senses. He could feel vibrations coming from all around him, and it was as if a series of war drums were being hammered in the back of his skull. 

He could taste pheromones in the air, and orc pheromones tasted like fecal matter laced with dead rats. Shiv knelt on the bridge, gagging, trying not to throw up inside his armor again.

Adam patted his back apologetically, while Can Hu stood over him, staring down in disappointment. "I warned you, Pathbearer. I warned you that this armor would fail you. I just did not think that it would fail you so utterly, so completely."

"Oh, don't be overdramatic, Penitent," Helix said, pushing the automaton aside slightly. "He'll adapt. It's normal to have such moments when your awareness reaches new heights."

"The magnetic sense is getting worse. It feels like my skull's getting pulled out of my head."

"Oh, don't complain about that. You'll wish you had it, should you ever get lost. Do you know how important it is to know where True North is?"

Shiv didn't even know the concept of True North until recently. Worse was how he could practically see every detail on the orcs, and he saw what orc skin looked like in high definition. He saw the things trapped in their teeth, what horrors lurked in the depths of their nostrils, and Shiv wished he was blind. Slowly, he fought his way back to his feet, and as he opened his eyes once more, he winced as the light speared bolts of pain down his nervous system. He quickly adjusted his compound ocular network, returning it to a more baseline human setting.

"Adam," Shiv said. He placed a hand on the Gate Lord's shoulder to support himself. Adam let out a hiss of effort as he tried keeping Shiv standing. "I owe you an apology."

"Oh?" Adam said, through clenched teeth. "About what?"

"Is this what it's like for you?"

"Well, mine's Heroic-Tier, and all of my senses are greatly amplified."

Shiv almost sobbed for Adam’s suffering. "I'm so sorry. The things you must have heard, the things you must have smelled all the time. It's... your life must be hell. I didn't know this was what it was like for you. It must be hell now.”

"It's quite alright. Well, I can't quite smell pheromones, but yes, not wonderful. Some things you just pretend you don't see, and some things you can't ignore."

Uva coughed and made a show of looking away.

Valor stared at Uva and Shiv. Somehow, he made his skeletal face frown.

“Well,” Helix sighed. “Off the ground. Time for you to improve your Awareness Skill too. There are orcs to see and wars to wage. The sooner you get used to this, the faster you’ll develop your Awareness Skill Evolution.”

And Shiv laughed. “Everything is just part of your plan to get me to level the supporting skills I need for Biomancy, isn’t it?”

Helix adjusted his glasses. “Indubitably.”