Chapter 9

“I’ve explained the situation,” Destruction said as we both brought followers out from our respective Void Storages.

“They understand the situation and they’ve asked if they can still worship me as well as you in their own fashion?”

“You can’t be all that bad then,” I joked. “While you see to these guys I need to go back out. I didn’t manage to get one of Devotion’s people. They were all off like startled rabbits as soon as I shielded Hakan’s army.”

She gave me a sidelong glance. “I guessed. But you still haven’t answered my question.”

“Huh?” I asked turning to face her. “What question?”

“My followers. Continuing to worship me?”

“Are you serious? They can do what the hell they want, Destruction. They could worship their own bowl movements if it makes them happy.”

Her eyebrow arced. “You are comparing me to a demonic turd Clive?”

“Uh? Ah! No not at all. I just don’t care what they do.”

“You are very odd Clive. What has gotten your attention?”

I pointed up to where Grigor was sitting on rooftop in his wolf form like a very weird Batman.

“He’s been up there since I came back. So much for shadowing Peace. You absolutely sure about him?”

I elbowed her. “Go look after your followers. I’ll look after Grigor.”

With a sad smile, she sauntered away, shouting at the assortment of demons and bugbears that surrounded with clear adoration in their eyes. It was both a sad moment and heartwarming at the same time. Then I took to the skies to go see my oddly behaving General.

“Hey man. How you doing?”

He smiled tiredly. “Just taking in the view. I can’t believe this was here the whole time. I’ve heard you talk about what’s going on. About a whole race of people who were above us, but seeing this, I finally believe. I believe and I don’t think I’m cut out for something on this scale, Lord Clive. I truly think you should pick someone else to empower. What can I do when compared to all of this?”

I winced. “Yeah mate. Destruction said the same thing about you. I’m inclined to agree. I don’t think you’re cut out for something on this scale either.”

“While your words wound my pride, they are true and I’m glad you understand.”

“Totally mate! And don’t worry about it.”

He smiled and the tension left his shoulders as he visibly relaxed. I continued.

“I’m not cut out for it either and neither is Destruction nor Peace or any of the other Gods who just died to Hakan’s hands. But just like us, you’ve got no fucking choice. I trust you. You’re loyal, ferocious and brave and I’m honored to have you fighting alongside me and together, somehow we’re going to make sure we’re all prepared. Or we’re gonna die trying.”

He didn’t tense up again. He just smiled and sagged a little further. “You never pull your punches or dress things up as something they’re not. Do you, Clive? It’s what I respect most about you.”

I shrugged. “I know you well enough to know that blowing smoke up your arse won’t work. Sometimes there are only bad choices and this is one of those times.”

“Die hiding or die trying is no choice at all.” His words carried weight and he straightened his shoulders again. I’m with you. I will learn everything I can of these new powers. I will not hide.”

“Good. And they’re not new powers they are the original powers. I’ve tried to work on the basis that they are part of us. We just need to be open to them.”

He nodded down to the street where thousands of Demons began howling in grief. “What is happening?”

“That would be Destruction severing the last of her bonds.”

I focused on her as she carried out the mass cull of followers. I saw as the last of them were cut and her core visibly expanded, blossoming out like a mini explosion.

As the flare from the core diminished, it was abundantly clear that her ability to channel ambient Neuma was open.  She’d changed in appearance a little too. Her black and red skin was now multi-hued with all of the colors she could access.

While it should have looked odd, she actually looked more beautiful and dangerous than ever.

“I CAN FEEL IT!” she roared, holding up her hands in praise to the Nexus I imagined. She stared at them for a long moment and soon Fire and Dark Neuma crackled in them. A moment later she faltered and looked up to where I sat, her red irises pulsed with energy. “Tell me, how?”

Her words carried the distance with amplified force.

“We better go down,” I said to Grigor, and then leapt off the building toward her.

She tracked my flight and the moment my feet touched the ground she spoke again. “It’s just there. Tell me how to bring it forth.”

“Go within yourself. Feel your core and the branches that spring from them. The meridians.”

She nodded and her breathing calmed a little as she focused.

“Once you find what I’m describing, start by pulling power along the meridians to your hands. Or anywhere you want. Hands are a just a good focal point to start begin with.

“Once you can pull pure power down to your hands we can work on the finer details. I’ll head out to gather the other followers, you concentrate on that. Try to spend some time actually visualizing the Neuma’s you can work with in the air and within our core. Practice on pulling each of them out individually if you get that far.

She nodded with clear glee, turned to the now godless followers and gestured to me. Pray my beauties. Pray to Clive and help us win this battle.”

Looking lost and uncertain I said a few words of encouragement to them. “You are and always will be followers of the Goddess of Destruction! And while I would rather you were all free, the best way you can help your Goddess, and yourselves, is following me. I promise once the god who destroyed your homes is dealt with, I will happily and eagerly set you all free.”

My words seemed to do the trick, and the bonds began to strike my core. I waited and watched for a while longer, trying to put them at ease, but as soon as I thought it wouldn’t appear rude, I backed off and turned to Grigor.

“I’ve gotten quite a bit of Neuma at my disposal from all these new followers I’m getting. Are you ready to level?”

He thumped his clenched fist against his chest. “I am ready. The power and trust you give me will not be misplaced.”

“Let’s get it done then. And remember, while all stats matter invest a decent amount into Internal Constitution so you can actually use your own powers. Yeah? We don’t need a Level 1000 Strength Grigor having his Neuma ripped out of him from ten miles away.”

“It will be as you say, Lord Clive.”

“Now, I know I promised you an overall Level of 350 so you reach the Ardumis Evolution but, I can bring you up a fair bit higher now. Oh, and focus on Constitution as well. We’ll get to work on your Immortal Shell straight away, but even with it, we’re squishy against Hakan.”

“I understand, Lord Clive. I will spend those points wisely.”

“I know you will, pal.” I patted him on the shoulder and then activated the boon for Spiritual Leader.

The substantial amount of Neuma I’d collected over the last two days flew from me directly to him, and I watched with satisfaction as his core swelled. At Level 350, it went through its Ardumis Evolution, but I kept on pushing and it kept on swelling until I cut off the flow. As much as I wanted to give him all the power I’d collected. I had to be smart. Other people needed boosting and Hakan could reappear at any moment.

Afterward, Grigor remained still for a moment looking over all of the changes. I left him to it and spoke to Aly.

“Hey, Aly. Don’t suppose you’ve found a way to track Hakan yet?”

He is still undetectable to the scanners. He clearly knows how to avoid them.

“I figured as much. I need to work out a way to trap the bastard. He dodged my Void attack.”

You do Clive. Or a faster way to kill him.

It was funny hear her talk about killing after all of the trouble we’d had with me killing people. “Any ideas on that yet?”

None unless he enters an Administrative Zone. Otherwise I’m afraid that is entirely your problem to serve, though I would help you if I could.

My reply died on my lips as Grigor finished acclimatizing and allocating points far quicker than I’d expected.

“A truly remarkable boon, Lord Clive.”

“You chose fast, dude. Can I have a look?”

With a grunt of approval, I eyed his stats.

Grigor: Level 634.

Founder of Far Reach. General of Far Reach. Spiritual Leader of Clive. Ardumis (Wultr IV)

Physical Statistics:

Strength: 749

The capacity to exert and resist force.

Dexterity: 300

Skill and ease in hand-based activity.

Agility: 620

How effectively the body can move into a range of different positions.

Speed: 700

Rate at which the body can move.

Stamina: 670

Period at which body can effectively sustain prolonged activity.

Constitution: 970

The ability to withstand physical punishment.

Mental Statistics:

Intelligence: 300

Knowledge and its application.

Charisma: 87

Charm, coerce, inspire.

Perception: 350

Awareness of surroundings.

Spiritual Statistics:

Ethereal Awareness: 220

Attunement with the Gods and spirits of Gulithea. (Necessary for Ethereally supplied magical ability.)

Internal Connection: 1000

Attunement with oneself. (Necessary for cultivation of one’s own inner power.)

Accretion: 634

Innate understanding of Neuma’s interaction with physical structures. Will increase with personal level from inception. (Cannot be leveled by other means.)

World Sense: 100%

Experience Points to next level: 200/17550

The Ardumis evolution transcends all Beast-kin Evolutions that came before.

Through your dedicated growth, you can now access all Beast-Kin forms.

No path that a Beast-kin has trodden will be unknown to you on any planet you visit. Be it by Air, Sea, or Land.

You are a Protector of all Beast-kin and with each one you meet, an eternal bond of kinship will be formed.

You receive a +20 Bonus to all Physical Stats.

Your Statistic Level Potential is now fully open.

< Ardumis Tier Paths >

1) Wild Zone

Cast a field of energy around you, which increases the Physical attributes of all Beast-kin within the area of effect by 100%.

Duration: 30 mins.

Area of Effect: 1 mile

(Every 5 levels above Ardumis base Rank provides a +1 to Duration.

Every 10 Levels above Ardumis Base Rank Provides a 5% increase in abilities affected abilities.

Every 100 Levels increase the area of effect by one mile.)

2) Feral Defender:

Removes all but 10 points of Intelligence, Charisma, and Perception and funnels them all into Strength for One Hour.

12-hour cooldown

Active time increases by 30 minutes and cooldown reduces by 1 hour every fifty levels.

3) Path of Attack.

In Animal form, an Ardumis gains up to four Soul-Based Weapons, depending on the number of available limbs.

You have Chosen three Claws of Rending Salvation and One Claw of Brutal Dismissal.

In Human Form, you have access to only one Soul-Based Weapon.

The Bow of the Ardumis:

A Bow made of Ethereal Neuma, which provides unfaltering accuracy, and unlimited arrows produced when drawing bow.

Arrows can provide a range of options from concussive to explosive depending on your goal.

Weapon range: 3000 yards (1.7 mile)

Bow can only be defended against with opposing Neuma-based defense.

Active time: Unlimited.

4 Path of the Wind.

In Animal form, you can travel up to 300 miles in any direction.

Cooldown: 20 minutes.

There is a twenty-minute cooldown period, but the subsequent cooldown will be increased to one hour.

“You chose the same as Sania?” I asked thoughtfully.

“I did. We have spoken about the choices at length, and these were by far and away the best options of those available. At least in our current circumstances. In times of peace, I may have chosen differently.”

“Huh, yeah. But then in times of peace we’d probably have never had the choice to make.” I clasped his shoulders. “Nor would we have had Ethereal Souls, which you are now the proud owner of.”

“I will set my spirit’s anchor point as soon as I return to Far Reach.”

“Set it here first as it’s safe and then set it again back home. Just in case. And, you know I’m going to set you free now, right?”

He grimaced. “I do, and I never thought I wouldn’t jump at the opportunity. It’s strange how time has changed so much of what I held to be true.”

“You should be your own man, Grigor. But I’d still like to have a Soul bond in place with you. With all of those who are going to help against Hakan and whatever he throws at us. Are you okay with that?”

“Without reservation! You did not need to ask.”

I smiled at the rugged Wultr. “Oh, but I did.” And without another word I set Grigor free.