Dark Matter Ascension-Chapter 50B2 - : Split the party!

Jace rolled out of bed after giving Shhiv a squeeze, and then threw on his clothes and meandered to the elevator. Punching the floor for the Recreation level, he was pleased to see it was empty. I must be up early, he thought, as he went to the swimming cube. Diving in, he reveled in his ability to breathe underwater and not deal with the pressure.

It was freeing, exhilarating. But he jumped a bit when a voice came from his left, “Oh! You’re doing a morning swim, also?”

Jace turned about and scanned the blue water, finding nothing at first. But then he spotted a slight brown, Civilian symbol. “Who are you?”

“We met last night! I’m Ree, Dee’s sister. Oh! Right, we’re in water and I’m blue. Give me a few seconds.” There was a slight cracking noise, as if someone was popping their joints, and Jace saw the chitinous shell seemingly manifest around the Plorp woman. Within a few seconds, her goop form was encased inside the shell, and the orbs that acted as her eyes slotted into place. “Sorry for startling you.”

“It is fine,” Jace replied as he swam out of the cube and exited onto the instant-drying tile. Ree followed him, and as he sat down on one of the lounge chairs, she followed suit. “You and I didn’t get to talk much last night,” Jace softly said.

“Ah, well, you know my sister, of course, since she’s a Signer for the faction you’re a part of.” She wiggled her chitinous fingers, “The purple glow gives it away.”

Jace nodded, “Right, but beyond that. What’s your story?”

“Oh…well, that’s a bit lengthy. Plorps come Xelvor Tersius, way out at the edge of the farthest galaxy from the center of the universe. There, we lived in a giant collective mass of goop. But then about thirty years ago The Cosmic System imposed its control and we all decided to venture out into The Eternal City.”

“Why did you choose Civilian, but Dee didn’t?”

“She’s the impulsive one. Oh, right, relationships. Technically, every Plorp is related to every other one. She’s just one of my sisters. Anyways, she along with another few thousand of our species went on the Aspirant Trial and most of them passed, because we are really durable. I chose Civilian because I just wanted to experience a bit of other worlds and not go traipsing through them. I don’t mind going back to Xelvor Tersius when my time is up.”

Jace leaned back in the chair and clicked on the sun lamp, letting the warming heat settle into him. “She mentioned she stole stuff from the Nebula Alliance, and that’s why she was imprisoned on Earth.”

“Oh yeah, totally. She is an adrenaline junkie. Explosions, daring raids, stealing: anything that gets her goop bubbling she will go all in on.”

Good to know, Jace thought. I’ll need to make sure that if we’re on mission that she stays on task. “Thanks for sating my curiosity.”

“No problem!”

The group had gathered around mid-morning. Jace, Greg, Priam, Dee, and Quinn were all in Jace’s apartment around his table, and Xera was just pulling up the screens that would provide their debrief.

“The next world I intend for you to visit, Jace, is Graskorn. The local species are all very similar to humans in physiology. You would colloquially refer to them as ‘cat people’, but their species name is Yittka. A cult has taken root, and they are probing the barrier between the universe and the Astral Verge.”

Priam raised his hand, “You just said Jace. What about the rest of us?”

Xera adjusted her glasses and tapped another series of consoles, “You, Priam, along with Greg and Dee, will be going to your home world of Fernaid. You are all Tier 5. However, Wricen the Indomitable-”

“The guy who killed my clan,” Priam muttered under his breath, barely loud enough for Jace to pick it up.

“Correct. He is Tier 6. And whilst he is not causing problems, he will soon enough. Fernaid has deities, as you are well aware: gods and goddesses that function as local administrators. But they are being killed off by Wricen.”

Greg raised his hand, “So we kill this guy and that’s that?”

“Yes,” Xera replied. “Simple enough. Kill one Ascendant, and you can secure a whole world. However, he has closed all but one Cosmic Corridor portal: and that portal is located on the opposite side of the entire world. It’s not a huge world: a few weeks travel in either direction to circumnavigate the spheroid.”

Dee frowned, “Can we bring any vehicles from Khrox?”

“Magic world,” Xera replied. “If you can find a magic vehicle for purchase? Sure.”

Quinn nodded, “I’ll get right on it.”

“It is a big world,” Priam said. “Really big. Months of travel on foot, if dad’s maps are anything to go by.”

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

Xera nodded, “And I have no intel on what Wricen has been up to. For all we know, he has taken the Godhearts of the deities he has slain and been using them to make puppet gods to protect himself. He knows he has drawn my attention at this point. So, this won’t be a stealthy approach.”

“Full frontal assault?!” Dee asked as she practically bounced in her chair. “Awesome! And we’re a Tier higher than this world? Well, we will be, soon enough. Then we’ll be hard to kill. I’ve never blown up a god before.”

Xera looked at Jace, “Your task is more nuanced. I plan on having the trio come join you once you’ve found the cult’s lair. The place you’re heading to is thankfully located right where a portal to The Cosmic Corridor is. The largest and grandest city; The Spirals.”

“This cult may go high up,” Greg commented. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you end up dismantling some conspiracy in whatever their ruling system is.”

“A republic,” Quinn replied. “Oligarchic republic.”

Seems easy enough, Jace thought. Just track down the cult location, figure out who all is funding, setting up, or working with them, and remove them as well. “Seems simple enough.”

Xera smiled, “Excellent. You all have your missions. Good luck. Oh, and you four,” she said as she looked at all except Jace. “I’ve identified a Complex near the entry portal on Fernaid. I would recommend clearing that, which should hopefully grant you enough Stardust to select your Ascended Power and Advanced Class.”

Greg stood up and saluted by holding his hand in a fist over his heart, “Yes, ma’am.”

Quinn rolled her eyes and stood up, “I’ll go get my console ready. Non-compliant Skill, incoming. Celestial Observer (Rank 1), Coordinator’s Warning System (Rank 5).” Jace saw the small, blue and gold orbs appear over everyone’s head. “Right. I’ll be at my station.” She smiled softly, and turned to leave, but paused at the door. “Thanks for letting me stay home and reap some of the Stardust split.” She left right after her sentence ended.

Dee stood up and dragged a sullen looking Priam out of his chair, “Come on! We get to go and blow stuff up!”

Okay, I’ve got all my gear, x40 survival meals, the medical kit is fully stocked up: not that I really need it, but you never know when medicine and bandages will come in handy. Everything else looks good. Jace smiled as he expertly re-packed his (Heavy) Venture Pack, ensuring that every item was perfectly placed and strapped into place.

He turned around as he heard familiar footsteps, “Leaving?” Shhiv asked.

Jace turned around and kissed her on the cheek before hugging her, “Just for a bit,” he said. “Xera said that when I need to sleep, I can just come back here mid-mission, since in all likelihood my gig is going to keep me in the capital city.”

Shhiv smiled and held his hands, “Good. I’d like that.” She pouted slightly, in a bratty way. “But I know it’s not going to be the norm.”

Jace silently nodded, “Yeah. Nature of the beast. But…there was some saying about the heart and distance…”

“Distance makes the heart grow fonder,” Ollie stated.

“Right, that,” Jace said with a smile.

Shhiv nodded and pulled him in for another hug, “Come back to me, alright?”

“Of course.”

Priam was anxious and that anxiety formed a pit in his gut. He had already thrown up once, and he shook as he sat in his father’s chair. His gear was packed, he was ready to go, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that going somewhere without his older br- without Jace was risky.

His friend and ally had bailed him out of many dire situations so far, and Priam had been a near-constant companion to him the whole time.

There was a knock on his door, and he slowly got up, shuffling over, and opened it. It was Jace, and he had a frown on his face, “Hey…um, are you ready? Almost ready?”

Priam nodded and went over to his bag, “Yeah,” he muttered.

“What’s wrong?”

“You’re not going to be around,” Priam said in the same tone. “Since Nihilethelea you’ve almost always been a constant presence. Except for that whole Pheracorp business, you’ve practically been a short sprint away.” He sighed, “I’m scared is all.”

Jace knelt and put his hand on Priam’s shoulder, and the Priest looked at his companion, trying to read that expression. He saw regret, and Jace squeezed his shoulder slightly. “I understand completely. I’ve gotten used to your barriers and healing. Plus, that awesome electricity and magnetism.” He chuckled, “If I’m up against undead, I’m pretty sure I’m screwed since, like you said, only divine power can put them down for good.”

Oh, that reminds me! Priam rummaged through his bag, pulled out the medicine pouch, and produced three vials that he handed Jace, “Holy water, mixed with my blood. Smear it on your weapon, and it can keep undead down. For good. I figured if you’re going to be on a magic-heavy world, and dealing with cults…well, it is probably a good precaution.”

Jace smiled softly, “Thanks for watching out for me.” He pulled Priam in for a hug, gave him a bit of a squeeze, and then let him go. “Come on, the others are waiting.”

The journey through Khrox was instantaneous. As soon as Jace had set foot outside the apartment, and visualized the portal he wanted to go to, he appeared there. Instant-warp. That’s a neat trick, Xera.

Ollie was wrapped around his neck and tapped just below his ear, “Hey, hood and mask.”

Crap. Jace quickly pulled both up and made sure they were affixed. Glancing around himself once more, he saw the amazing wonders of The Cosmic Corridor as species of all types walked around. The portal in front of him was massive, reaching a hundred feet into the sky and just as wide.

“This portal is the same size on both sides, unlike some worlds,” Ollie stated. “And remember, you are a human: you will not blend in with the local populace at all.”

“And since Civilians can’t travel, I’m kind of out of luck.”

Ollie smiled, “You have Common (Equipment) Boons still. It sounds silly, but you should use one on a Yittka disguise. You just need a fake tail you could attach as a belt, and some fake ears. You can already change your skin coloration, so you can make it appear as if you have fur from texturing the colors.”

Smart. “Let’s do that.” Jace focused on shifting his skin tone, and the nanites responded. Glancing at his wrist and pulling back the glove, he could see the slight, wavy pattern that: to someone who didn’t perform a close inspection: looked just like fur.

-----

[Using Boon: Common (Equipment).]

Updat𝒆d fr𝑜m freewebnøvel.com.

[Manifesting.]

-----

Jace felt a slight buzzing sensation around his waist, and glancing down he saw a new belt had formed. Looking back behind him, he saw the slight swish of a tail that seemed to move as he flexed his posterior as part of naturally walking. “Handy,” he stated.

Ollie giggled a bit, “Your hood has cat ears now!”

Jace reached up and felt the slight protrusion. Well, it helps the disguise. He took a deep breath, “Here we go. Track down a cult that wants to rip open a door out of our reality.”

“We have got this!”

Jace walked through the portal.