Wish upon the Stars (Original Superhero cultivation sci fi litrpg)

[Quenster06]

Just got it thanks
Quick question though, feel free to correct me in case I'm wrong but I'm confused about something
Why doesn't he make wishes for himself? Was it ever stated that the wishes have to be made for someone else? It just bugs me that he doesn't wish for things like knowledge or skills that could help him

Click to shrink...

It was explained that candidates with the Wish ability can't grant their own wishes, yes. However, they can still have other candidates grant wishes for them. There is a fair bit of Shane trying to figure out the rules and game the system.

 

[BJJPanda]

I realise what has always bothered me about the slice of life dialogue, it is too sitcom like. The winking when making a joke about someone, like you have to tell them it is a joke everytime, same when Shane mentions in his head that it is a joke. The slice of life reads more like a script describing a scene from a sitcom than real people talking. BTW this isn't meant to be offensive but something about the dialogue during those moments has been bothering me for a while, dk if you remember my other comments about it

 

[ShadeBorn]

It was explained that candidates with the Wish ability can't grant their own wishes, yes. However, they can still have other candidates grant wishes for them. There is a fair bit of Shane trying to figure out the rules and game the system.

Click to shrink...

Ah, I see
Thank you

 

[Malcolm Tent]

Just got it thanks
Quick question though, feel free to correct me in case I'm wrong but I'm confused about something
Why doesn't he make wishes for himself? Was it ever stated that the wishes have to be made for someone else? It just bugs me that he doesn't wish for things like knowledge or skills that could help him

Click to shrink...

He grants wishes for other people, he can't make them from his own power.

I realise what has always bothered me about the slice of life dialogue, it is too sitcom like. The winking when making a joke about someone, like you have to tell them it is a joke everytime, same when Shane mentions in his head that it is a joke. The slice of life reads more like a script describing a scene from a sitcom than real people talking. BTW this isn't meant to be offensive but something about the dialogue during those moments has been bothering me for a while, dk if you remember my other comments about it

Click to shrink...

Honestly, that's how me and most of my friends talked when we were that age (and still do). We picked up a lot of verbal tics from watching tv and we were all pretty intelligent and tended to think in those terms. Most of my conversations as a teenager sounded like they came from an episode of Buffy, because I binge watched it repeatedly and it had a serious impact on how I think and speak. I've heard similar complaints before, and it seems to be a case of YMMV. Some people just roll with it, and some people are like 'nobody talks like that', but the thing is, I talk like that, so its how I write lol. I'm sarcastic and I make quips and I jab at people because thats what I was exposed to growing up.

 

[Malcolm Tent]

"This is bullshit!" Snapped Callie as she paced back and forth inside the tent. She'd felt my distress through bond and rushed back, though apparently Black Sorrow had somehow delayed the sensation until she left. "She can't just DECIDE you need to go on some suicidal mission to the war front or she'll kill us all."

"Actually, she can and definitely has done that." I said with a grimace. "I know it sucks, but honestly, the idea of being out from under her death sentence and free to be an actual family sounds AMAZING." I turned to my grandmother, who was sitting primly at the table sipping…tea, I think, though I had no clue where she'd gotten it. "Though I feel like she wasn't that committed to us dying. Like she knew I existed but wasn't really pushing for my execution?"

Drowning Shade, also known as Celia Anders, shrugged lightly. "My mother is a god. Her attention span is…odd. She can be both incredibly patient and incredibly impatient, depending on the circumstances. In any case, her lifespan means time passes differently to her. The idea of waiting a few years for you to die wouldn't bother her."

"Don't talk about my son's murder like it's a day at the fish market, mother!" Snapped my mom. "This situation is bad!"

"Less than you might think." Celia said with a shake of her head. "I wasn't at all certain my mother would listen to me. My attempts to use the war to pressure her were a long shot, at best. I expected her to extract HARSH concessions, perhaps separating me from our family for the rest of my life. This mission, while dangerous, is an opportunity." She glanced at me intently. "Your boy has a strong fate, Sasha. For things to move in such a way."

I wondered if my Path was helping. Fatewalker was a class and not the Path itself. Did it even matter anymore?

"So, what am I supposed to be doing." I said tiredly. "She said you'd have the details. She mostly just showed up, mocked me a bit, and then vanished. I was expecting her to be more…unstable, based on what I've heard."

She sighed. "You need to understand that gods are a PART of their Domain. To become a deity is to become one with a concept, to become part of a legend. All your stats, your soul, are dispersed into your Domain and become permanently fused. Becoming human again, or at least creating a physical form, is taxing and requires concentration anywhere OUTSIDE that Domain. Like being in two places at once, and doing the world's most complex puzzle in one of them."

I tried to imagine that kind of strain. It had to be tens or hundreds of times more exhausting than normal soul weight from a technique or Skill. I could see how someone might be erratic if they were under that kind of stress whenever they were physically present in the real world.

There was kind of an implication that divine worlds didn't really move. Like they seemed to be pretty stable in terms of real space. Or maybe I was making assumptions where it wasn't warranted, but I added it tentatively to the structure of cultivation I was building in my mind. "So…" I said sadly to Callie. "On a scale of one to ten how pissed are you I'm going to miss our honeymoon."

"One fucking MILLION!" She spat. "But not at you. If she wasn't a god…"

I laughed. "Yeah, but she is, and I'm too young to be a widower, so how about we don't shit talk the divine being who might still be nearby. I still have a week to finish the festival and say goodbye to everyone." I turned to Celia. "I assume you guys have a LEAD on the Lady of Lamentation's forces for me to follow, instead of just blindly showing up at a random event and hoping she decides to give me some responsibility."

"We do." She chuckled. "I consulted the Judgement Pope, hoping to get his support for this journey. He's given us a direction, and we were able to narrow down exactly where you need to go." She flicked her fingers, and a sphere of textured darkness appeared in front of her. "This is Rackham. A small planet at the edge of the Unity galaxy, near church territory. Unity is the youngest of the gods, and the least capable of policing his galaxy. We believe some sort of examination will be held there."

Chelsea, who had been unusually quiet since she arrived with Callie, looked drawn and upset. "This is bullshit." She echoed my wife, but her voice was weak. "Why would she send Shane. I could have done this, could have helped, and you could have enjoyed your honeymoon."

"Because I'm expendable." I shrugged. "She thinks you have potential, having her ability AND grandpa's is interesting to her. I'm just a candidate, and she won't lose anything if I die." Callie made a scared noise, and I smiled at her warmly. "Which I don't intend to do. She's underestimating me."

Probably. Or she genuinely didn't care. This little mission cost her nothing, and potentially gained her a lot of power. I honestly worried about giving her more power, but then I considered she was already a god and could kill me effortlessly. It would be like trying to lift a whale instead of an elephant as a mortal. It wasn't going anywhere either way.

"You really think so?" Asked Callie hesitantly. She could feel my relative certainty in my own abilities, mostly because I was projecting it at her so she wouldn't notice the crippling terror.

Oddly, under THAT I was kind of excited. Sure this was terrifying and kind of shitty, but it was also amazing. I was going to be going on a solo mission for pretty much the first time as an Ascendant. A solo mission as D-ranker. I would be able to keep in touch with Callie and my friends through the bond, but I'd be on my own. I could finally prove to myself what I was capable of.

Speaking of capabilities though, I turned my mind to my Path. Doom Sovereign had yielded new skills again on my rank up, and I'd been so busy I hadn't really had a chance to check them out. I figured that might distract my wife from her worrying, so I mentioned it to all the members of my family, and mom, Chelsea, and Callie seemed really excited to hear what I'd gotten.

First was a finishing blow. I got those every other rank, and I'd been quickly approaching one that I'd been waiting on for quite a while. Blood Curse. It was a nasty little Rogue trick that let me attach an attack to a sample of someone's blood and use it as a medium to attack them from a distance. It might not sound like a finisher, but it was particularly effective on sleeping targets, and nearly impossible to block (certain defensive abilities in the game could deflect it, and given how absurd Ascendant abilities could get real life was probably the same).

Next was a water based Monk ability called Dark Reflection, which bounced back spells at a certain level of power (usually weaker ones) and a very useful divination called Scent of Truth, which let me smell lies (it was exactly as weird as it sounded). Which really rounded out a lot of my skills. And of course, another poison skill called Creeping Darkness, which allowed me to use air as a medium for my corruption by literally poisoning parts of the sky.

DS Subskills. Monk: Stone Limb, Moonlit Night, Consecration of Flame, Ripple Running, State of Grace, Steam Arrow, Afterburner, Pit of Despair, Mountain Stance, Dark Reflection

Rogue: Mercy Kill, Double Trouble, Touch of Tears, Flurry of Blows, Heavy hands, Marked for Death, False Fatality, Blood Curse, Creeping Darkness

Diviner: Overlay, Song of the Soil, Rhythm of the Wild, Eye of Revelation, Danger Sense, Piece of Mind, Scent of Truth

I noted with a wince I'd pretty much never used False Fatality, and that I now had a staff that did the same thing. It made sense the Monk and Rogue classes might overlap a bit, but it sucked knowing that I was letting abilities go to waste. I glance at my staff with interest. Maybe I could make a damage reflection form. It would be great mixed with Mornax, I put a pin in that for future consideration.

"So, as you can see, I have plenty of new tricks up my sleeves." I smirked. Then paused. "Speaking of, I need new sleeves. BS said I needed new gear for my 'new and improved' mask." I sneered, holding up the obsidian monstrosity that had become of my sleek and well crafted classic wooden mask.

"Oh hey." Callie said cheerfully. "It's the face in the mirror in all of my childhood nightmares. Dear gods, did she TRY to make it a waking nightmare?"

Celia snorted. "Knowing her, probably. And I wouldn't refer to my mother as 'BS' outside of current company. If it gets back to her she might turn you inside out in outrage. Or buy you a pony. You can never tell with her."

"Pass on both." I said bluntly. "I don't do horses. I don't trust any means of transportation that can think for itself."

My mother burst out laughing, and I raised a brow at her. She was gasping a little when she finally calmed down enough to talk. "I'm sorry. It's just most of the time you take after me or act like Ezekial, but now and then you do something so catastrophically ELI that it just sends me reeling. Your father used to say that exact thing, word for word."

I frowned, trying to remember when I'd started saying that and where I'd heard it. "Anyway." I said with a shake of my head. "I was going to ask. Since I'm going to be done, I was wondering if grandma could maybe help Callie out with training. If she wants I mean. If both of them want. I'd just feel a lot better knowing Callie was working with someone with a similar Path."

My grandmother chuckled. "An S-rank tutor for your new bride. You inherited your grandfather's flare for the dramatic. She's family, I would love to help. If she's interested. I was going to work with Chelsea a bit now anyway. Since she's no longer operating under restriction, I think it's time for her to learn how to wield the Enshrining Darkness."

Chelsea's head snapped up. "Wait…what? I thought that pass was just for this incident. I didn't even use my full powers anyway. We can still keep it secret."

"It's fine." Celia said with a laugh. "We've engaged directly with my mother. As long as we accomplish her request, her enmity will be dissolved. That won't be an easy task, but we're safe during the war in any case, so it's not like we're rushed. As for the new gear you need." She pursed her lips at me. "I can arrange that. This mission isn't related to the competition, so it shouldn't be a problem for me to pitch in. Plus I owe you twenty years of birthday presents."

It was odd, because this whole conversation had been so formal and she'd been so austere, but when she said that, it was like a dam broke. We all started laughing, and she smiled broadly, stepping forward to hug me, and then Chelsea, and then Callie.

Suddenly, this was a tent full of family for real, and it was amazing feeling so surrounded by warmth. I tried to savor the sensation, and would do the same throughout the festival. I had a feeling it would be kind of lonely on my own in enemy territory. I would make it though, and then I'd meet up with the others in time for the beginning of the candidate selection, whatever that may entail. If I had my way, this time next year I'd be the next wishmaster.

 

[Malcolm Tent]

The next day we got back to the party. I decided to test out my newest and most consequential perk from my rank up and created wish scrolls, just like I'd been told I could at D-rank. I added eight scrolls to my ring, and was looking forward to finding new ways to trade for them. The mechanics were a bit vague to me, but I was assured they were extremely useful.

Not having to worry about getting those done within a time limit was a load off my mind, and if gave me ample time to hang out with friends on my last week with them. Thoughts like that made me spiral a bit, so I avoided them, and I tried to throw myself into the celebration.

"So tell me again how this works?" Asked Benny as he stared down the strip of park grass. "Because I don't think I get the concept."

I laughed and pointed at the trees above the Travis scarecrow. "It's simple. Throw the axe and chop a branch. If it lands on the dummy, you get ten points, if it lands in the circles, your points vary based on which one. But don't hit the dummy WITH the axe, or you're out. Jessie grew the trees just for this purpose, and they'll try to dodge, so be prepared."

He squinted at me suspiciously. "That seems like the kind of thing that your overlay would be great for."

"I would NEVER abuse my powers just to win a game." I said as I tracked the colored arrows of the overlay to try to find the optimal trajectory. "You have deep seated trust issues and need to learn to have more faith in people." I winged the axe (at our level throwing anything with little enough force not to clear the horizon to absurd levels of concentration on a planet like this) and it clipped through a branch, which plummeted and stabbed into the ground in the third ring.

Cursing, I passed Benny the next axe. "Seven points. You're up."

"I want to go next." Announced Bethy. "I bet I could totally win. I could throw the axe way further than that. I could throw it to the moon."

"That is not the object of the game." I explained with a laugh. "But I kind of want to see it. WEe'd need a really nice axe so it didn't break up on reaching escape velocity. Plus someone would need to go get it."

Callie cleared her throat. "NO." She said bluntly. "If you throw it too hard you might damage the moon, or maybe even move it out of orbit. We are not drowning a continent because you two want to see if you can hit a lunar body with a throwing axe."

"You see." I complained to Bethy. "She used to be fun. We get married and now I can't do anything interesting."

"Keep it up." Smiled my wife sweetly. "And you can have all the fun you want on the couch for the rest of the week." She winked at me, and I laughed, even though both of us felt the ache from the other knowing we'd be separated so soon. We'd hardly had any time together since we got married, and I was already off to parts unknown to do crazy god shit for my psycho great grandma.

Benny frowned at me. "Why do you seem weird about that. Not worried or amused, but like…sad." He glanced at Bethy and the others. "He seems sad, right? It's not just me?"

"Pay up." I told my wife with a sad laugh. She cursed and handed me a D-rank chit. "I told her you would notice. You ARE my best friend." I paused at Bethy's glare. "ONE of my best friends." I said with a laugh.

I looked around with a sigh. "Let's go get some funnel cake and sit down. I can explain to everyone at once. Someone get the others. Cark and Cass too."

Heading over to the funnel cake cart, I bought like…five pounds of the stuff, loaded it onto a huge tray, coated it in a snowfall's worth of powdered sugar and then dropped it at a table set up in the shade of trees that DIDN'T move.

Everyone else came to join us, and Cass seemed especially excited about the funnel cake, snatching it up triumphantly and digging into the still hot dessert. It took her about two seconds to joke, and her brother patter her back with a sigh. "I don't know why you aren't more careful about that. You ALWAYS inhale the powdered sugar and choke."

"Worth it!" Wheezed the younger girl with a thumbs up. We all laughed, but the amusement was soon gone as everyone quieted down to hear my news.

"So, I'm going to be going away for a while." I said after a minute. "Probably five or sixth months. We'll meet up before the candidacy competition, but you'll be on your own for a while. Callie is going to be training with my grandma, and I made some arrangements for the rest of you if you want them. Or you can hang around with one of the others, that's all on you."

Bethy looked crestfallen. "What? But we all have so much fun together. We should be coming with you. We're your backup!"

"She's right." Said Benny unhappily. "Why do you need to do it on your own. We always stick together. That's like…the whole point of the candidacy to begin with. To see how you build a faction."

"Which is why I need you to keep doing that." I said bluntly. "I HAVE to do this. I don't have a choice, but once its done, things will be a lot easier. For one thing, I'll have my mom's support. Overtly. I'm betting I could sway a few big factions with that before the candidacy competition starts, assuming I get this other thing done in time."

My mother's blood, and my grandfathers, would open up possible alliances that I hadn't even considered before. Glancing at my sister, I took in her nod. That was a possibility. Interesting.

Honestly, the idea of a stop on the way to…whatever the competition was going to be, didn't exactly lack appeal. Looking at her though, my attention was brought to a different problem. Chelsea looked…angry. Not just a little angry either, she'd been seething since we'd talked to grandma.

Weirdly, I was conflicted about her reaction. I think some part of her was bitter I got chosen, and I think some part of ME was gloating about that bitterness. It wasn't nice, but she'd literally gotten everything good in our lives, knowing she was jealous kind of made me a little cheery. Of course, then I felt like shit for gloating while my twin sister worried about my possible death, which brought my attention back to the danger, and the cycle started over.

"So what are these 'arrangements'?" Benny finally asked, seemingly trying to distract everyone from the downer mood. He also tried to grab some funnel cake, though Bethy snatched the piece he was going for last second.

"Well, like I said, Callie will be working with my grandmother." I said, smiling at my wife. "She actually suggested Bethy might benefit from working with her as well. If anyone understands being born as something unique and powerful it's Celia. She might be able to help with your control. I'll leave you with some wish scrolls so you can keep up the seals, but we thought that might be helpful. Any of you are free to turn us down."

Bethy looked uncharacteristically serious for a second, but nodded. "That…that's really sweet. Thank you guys." She stepped up to hug both of us, and I nodded warmly. Bethy had my back during this mess, I was going to have hers too, and I knew Callie was grateful for her support when she couldn't be around to help me, too.

"Benny, you're with Zeke. The ability to weaponize crafted items that are a part of you is right up his alley. I can't imagine a better teacher for you." He blinked, but thanked me, not noticing the pitying glance from Cark.

I glanced at my sister. "You know grandma is training you, but I figured maybe you guys could stick with mom. Mel is perfectly suited to train under her, Cark could learn a lot, and Gabe could train with Andrew." I tried to make it sound like I was asking a favor, because I wanted her around Bethy and Gabe, who would keep her from spiraling if she got too worried. I didn't like the look in her eye.

The suggestion seemed to snap her out of her funk a bit though, and she smiled. "Of course. You know I love having…" She glanced at Bethy quickly. "Everyone around."

"Jessie and Celine will be working with mom's friend, the Princess from the conclave." I said with a smile at our healer. "I'm sure she has a ton to teach you both about plant and animal magic, at least based on what mom said."

Finally, I turned to Bethy. "As for Abel…I was thinking about it. We need someone uniquely powerful, with a connection to blood and a staggering amount of combat potential. Is there anyway you could ask your dad to take over his training while I'm gone."

She squealed and clapped. "Oh that sounds wonderful! I don't know who this Abel person is, but daddy needs a new project. He hasn't taken an apprentice since the last one…actually it's probably better if I don't tell you what happened. The position is open, though."

Abel looked concerned. "Wait…what happened to the last one. Don't ignore me Bethany, you can't just say something like that and not explain!"

"Abel's gruesome horrible death aside." I said cheerfully. "Does anyone else have any issues with the arrangements I made? Like I said, anyone can turn down the chance and go with anyone else."

Contrary to his outraged expression, Abel went silent. I knew he wouldn't ever turn down an opportunity to become stronger, and being trained by the most terrifying S-ranker in the universe was an opportunity it would be stupid to pass up. I had faith Bethy would tell her dad not to ACTUALLY kill him, and honestly, given his own training methods, I was enjoying the uncertainty a bit.

"Whatever." Said Benny with a sigh. "I'm going to hit D-rank before you get back for sure. I want some of those damned wish scrolls too."

"I talked to grandma about that." I said with a grin. "She gave me a late wedding present." I held up my hand. "His and hers spatial rings. Shared pocket dimension that Callie and I can both access from anywhere. Mom looked SUPER jealous, so I think they're really expensive, but I can use them to store the scrolls for you guys. It'll be like I never left."

Use of the scrolls still worked through my power, so the payments would reach me directly in the case of stats, and Callie could use the rings to store more physical pay. It was exhausting making them, since I had to preload them with enough stats to accomplish most wishes, but the extra flexibility was worth it.

After that, the conversation drifted to the task itself, and I filled them in. They all seemed worried as hell, but eventually Callie put her foot down, saying we only had a week left and that we'd better make the most of it. She forced us all back to the festival to play Travis mocking games and listen to a contest where everyone tried to make up the most humiliating backstory for the dead translocator.

All in all, it was a great night, and I felt so much better about leaving knowing my friends were taken care of. I could strike out on my own without worrying about anything happening to them. I just hoped I'd be able to make them proud when we reunited.

 

[Malcolm Tent]

The rest of the week just flew by. My stockpile of wishes grew, and I marveled at how convenient the whole thing was. Using the rings would help maximize the power, since the scrolls wouldn't need to transport any physical items for payment, and automating part of the process was ridiculously useful.


I had fifty six scrolls total for the week, and I passed them all to Callie for distribution, though I gave six to Abel, since he'd be leaving the group to train with Lark. He didn't want them on hand, but I insisted he have at least some just in case.


One of them we tried out, passing it to Celine so she could pay out of pocket (25 E-ranked chits), just to see what it did. It was extremely jarring to see the purple flames of my ability roll across my vision unprompted, but it was a nice tidy note in the same style as usual, with an added commentary on what the wish was about.


Whoever created this process was a genius, it was so convenient. I suspected it was probably the original Wishmaster, given what I knew about him.


And then…it was time to say goodbye. Callie, Chelsea, Benny, all my friends came with me to meet up with Celia, who would be taking me to a staging point to explain the plan. My wife wrapped her arms around me, clinging to me tightly as if I was a life raft on a stormy sea. I held her back just as tight.


I WAS excited about this, going out on my own as a D-ranker…but I was also going to miss my friends. My family. I was so used to them having my back, Callie most of all.


She leaned up to press a hard kiss to my mouth (I'd taken to not wearing my mask when I didn't have to, ever since Black Sorrow changed it I didn't feel right in the thing). We stayed like that for a minute, then she pulled back and glared at me. "If you get yourself killed, Shane Wyndham, I'm going to shift my path to some kind of ghost conjuration just so I can call you back from wherever you end up and kick your ass."


"I love you too, Cal." I said with a laugh, pressing my forehead to hers. "Take care of our family, ok? I'll be back annoying you before you know it."


I pulled away, hugging Benny, Bethy, Chelsea, and everyone else one by one. Finally, I turned to Celia. "Alright, I figure we do the gear thing on the ship. What's my mode of transportation?"


She smiled warmly. "You'll be taking my personal transport." She snapped her fingers, and a ship appeared behind her, floating in the air. It was hard to look at. A strange dark shape that seemed to eat light. It was like I was looking at a black hole, but Eye of Revelation showed me the form of a sleek, edgy metal vessel about the size of a bus.


"This is the Acheron." She said proudly. She put a hand on my shoulder, and we were suddenly consumed by shadows. The darkness that carried us was thicker than Callie's, but also deeper and more peaceful than the Enshrining Darkness of Black Sorrow. Drowning Shade had changed her ability, which didn't surprise me, she was S-rank and that was when the Path became part of you and bloodlines were created.


As we came out of the dark, we were standing in a large, metallic hallway. There were branches in three directions, and the ground was subtly humming under my feet. The ship was obviously much bigger on the inside, but it was still much smaller than the Necromedes. "What rank is this?" I asked as she led me down one of the halls.


"S." She said simply. "The Acheron is made from Stygian Starsteel, death infused metal forged by the dying gutters of an undead sun. It's understandably difficult to source, hence its conservative size. Most S-rank ships are much smaller by necessity. Proper S-ranked materials are a challenge to acquire. It is, of course, much faster than any A-rank ship, and will provide you will all necessary amenities for your journey, such as it is."


She led me to an open chamber where a small crew of people were waiting. The first one to see us was a woman in silvery armor with a white cloak. She bowed deeply to my grandmother. "Madam. Welcome back. The arrangements have been made to your specifications."


"Well done." She beamed. "Now, why don't you show us the new outfit I got for my grandson."


The woman nodded. She turned and clapped her hands, and a wardrobe materialzed in the air beside her. Reaching up, she unlatched the thing, then pulled it open.


"Out of necessity we needed to change your style." My grandmother explained as I took in the new gear. "The samples of your pseudo Domain, your dark flames, your corrosion, and the combination thereof were all given to our finest smiths. As a Master, you're capable of withstanding C-ranked artifacts, and this armor should last you quite a while."


The new suit was…big. I was a big guy, but my previous armor was specced for mobility and finesse. My large form came across more lithe in most of my gear, and I actually kind of preferred that.


That was no longer the case. My new gear was a massive thick suit of heavy plate armor. The black metal was shot through with veins of green, giving it a sinister and terrifying look, and I knew that on my six foot four frame, I would look like a fucking colossus wearing this suit. Combined with the creepy new mask, it cut a VERY different picture than my current regal attire.


"The plate is Nightiron." My grandmother announced. "We sourced it from a particularly corrupted demonic volcano, so the compatibility with your attributes is off the charts. This suit will massively boost your raw destructive power, as well as resisting any form of corruption or corrosion. Less versatile than your previous accouterments, I admit, but what it loses in versatility it makes up for in raw force. For your assumed identity, it will be perfect."


"Speaking of my assumed identity." I said cautiously. "What kind of name should I use? I'm guessing Solomon is out."


She nodded. "We assumed you might just like to call yourself by one of your form names. It will be your decision which to use, of course. Any of them should feed you stats more easily. Having multiple identities is a known phenomena, but in this case it's a temporary measure."


"Mephistopheles it is then." I said with a grim smile. "It suits this beast of a suit best I think. So I need to change my weapon?"


"Unlikely." She said with a shake of her head. "Your weapon is perfectly fine. It's relatively new, from what I understand, and not to be indelicate but…it's a stick." At my mutinous look she held up her hands. "A very nice stick, to be sure, but still a stick. People can't really tell one stick from another, especially not based on stories, so your staff won't be a danger."


I considered complaining, but in the end I just sighed. "Fine, at least I don't have to learn a new weapon. I'm pretty good at using…a stick." I said, putting a bit of acid into the last word.


She rolled her eyes, easily the most human thing I'd seen her do. "I swear. You and your grandfather get so out of sorts about the most inane things. He once sulked for over a decade because I told him his boots were too gaudy. He STILL brings it up when he's in a bad mood." She smiled sadly. "It heartens me to see you inherited so much from him, even if you were kepy away from us."


In the week I'd known my grandmother, we hadn't interacted all that much. When I heard her sad tone, it occurred to me that she had been staying away out of a misunderstanding. "I don't blame you." I said bluntly. "For the way my childhood turned out."


"You should." She responded in a tired tone. "It's my fault. I was a reckless and selfish girl who threw away the dreams of many people to be with the one I loved. I won't ever regret that, but I will always regret the damage it did to those who cared for me." At my surprised look, she chuckled. "Yes, even HER."


She shook her head. "I won't ask you to forgive or understand her. She's done more to you than can be easily overlooked. But to me she's just my mama. She gave me everything I ever wanted, loved me unconditionally, and I spat in her face. Honestly, I expected her to be angrier at me. But even in this, she couldn't bear to turn her anger on me. So if you have to hate someone for the way things went. Hate me."


"That's dumb." I said bluntly. "And you're dumb for saying it."


Her mouth dropped open, the shock of my words completely cutting through her pity party. So I kept talking. "I don't hate her. I don't LIKE her, but she's a god. It's like hating a hurricane for blowing your house down. Huge waste of energy. And I don't hate you either. We have a chance to fix our family here, and I'm going to take it. I'm not wasting my energy seething over shit I can't control that happened decades ago. Ain't nobody got time for that."


She stared at me for a minute, then burst out laughing. She laughed so hard she almost fell over, then pulled me into a tight hug. "By the gods, you really are just like my Nicky in so many ways. You're right. I'm feeling sorry for myself. We've got work to do." She snapped her fingers and that model of Rackham came up again.


"You'll be entering the planet on the Acheron, and it'll wait for you there. Chances are good you may be moved if you win the selection. I've placed a starpluck anchor on the ship, and there's another in your armor. In case of an emergency your wife can retrieve you and bring you back to Rackham to escape. I can't promise it'll work perfectly if you reach the world you're assigned to find, so do try not to require rescue."


"Plan B stands for barely feasible." I said with a grin. "Got it. Anything else I need to know?"


She shook her head. "Not as such. There are some geographical surveys of Rackham on the ship servers, feel free to peruse them at your leisure. Sadly there isn't much cultural or historical data, the place is very new as these things go. Other than that, i can only say that we aren't sure of the details of the selection. Judgement only noted that success will lead you toward the thing you seek. Karma is vague like that."


"Check and check." I hugged her again. "Thanks grandma. Take care of my wife for me will you? In a perfect world, I'd come back to find her with a Solid Path of her own."


"I'll see what I can do." She said with amusement. "Be safe, grandson. Or as safe as you can be in the ludicrously dangerous place we're sending you." She paused. "I think I might be a bad grandmother."


I shrugged. "If it helps." I said with a grin. "You're definitely the least terrible grandmother I've ever had. I've never met the other one, but she had a kid with a sociopath, so chances are good she's probably kind of an asshole. Although if that's my metric, I guess I'm kind of smack talking mom a little too. Forget I said anything." I winked and she started laughing again. Then she left, and I was alone with the crew and my suit. "Do you guys have a room for me?" I asked eventually. "I need to get changed."

 

[Malcolm Tent]

Celia left not long after finishing our talk, and the journey was underway. This ship was apparently shockingly fast, and we were looking at a month to Rackham. Which meant a month of…not much. Just me sitting around and parsing the changes to myself from my rank up, sometimes talking to Callie and doing whatever else I could think of. Training probably, I'd have to see.

My first big event of the trip though, was the most obviously necessary. I needed to try on the new armor. It was trickier than expected to get into, but it still only took a few minutes, and once I was done, I stood in front of the full length mirror in my room and took it in.

I looked…terrifying. The plate made my shoulders seem like…twice as wide, my biceps looked like thighs, and the domineering design of the black plate made me look even taller than I already was. I'd added my mask, and it went with the plate perfectly, the obsidian giving my features a demonic visage that gave ME chills.

"Mephistopheles." I boomed into the empty silence of my room. "So nice to make your acquaintance. We're going to do terrifying things together."

The voice wasn't mine. And it didn't come from the mask. It came from somewhere…else. Somewhere dark and primal deep inside of me. Not in my soul, but more like I'd called it up from my Path. Like this was a technique, but much less…intentional. It felt as natural as breathing, and I couldn't say I didn't enjoy the effect.

A knock sounded on my door. "Young master?" Came the melodic voice of Sonara. "Dinner is served in the galley." I opened the door, and the woman's eyes widened as the climbed to the face of my towering visage. "My, you certainly cut a diabolical figure." She said with a smile. "The madam would be proud."

Sorana was apparently the captain of my grandmother's personal guard. Since she was a member of the Church and not the Cult, she was a saintess and tended more toward the divine and holy aesthetic. Still she seemed thrilled when my grandmother told her she'd be watching over me, especially when she disclosed my identity, and was taking every opportunity to show her support.

As a saintess, Sorana was an A-ranker. The warrior branch of the church had different Jobs, but only up to B-rank (Arch-Paladin), after which it converged with the clergy. Saint and Pope. Sadly, even an army of A-rankers wouldn't phase a god or an S-ranker, and we were heading into a hive of enemy Ascendants, so having her here didn't mean I was any better protected. Still, it felt reassuring to have an A-ranker after losing Zeke as my guardian.

We headed to the galley, where Kristoff (Sorana's second) and Keiko (a cheerful girl with blue highlights in her hair) were stationed outside, waiting for us to arrive. The entire crew couldn't eat with us, since someone had to actually pilot the ship, so it was just the four of us for dinner, not that I minded. I was interested in learning more about my family from people who worked for them.

Luckily my mask still had an eating mechanism. A flex of will and the terrifying fanged grin opened for me to insert a spoon or fork. I took a bite of the steaming lobster pot pie in front of me and groaned in enjoyment. "Wow, grams didn't skimp on the food prep." I said, still in my Mephistopheles voice. Clearing my throat, I chuckled awkwardly. "Oh, sorry."

Kristoff waved a hand. "Don't worry about it. We're not exactly easily spooked. Feel free to maintain the effect. You need to to have internalized this new personality by the time we arrive. Speaking of the new you, have you considered your new fighting style?"

"I was going to work on it later. I have a base for each of the forms I can use. I just need to train out some bad habits. I don't suppose you'd be open to some training?"

He grinned at me. "Keiko is the heavy combat fighter. I mostly just lean into speed and stealth. I'm sure she could give you some pointers." He jerked his head, covering his mouth with the back of his hand as he stage whispered. "She uses a hammer taller than me. She can't fit the thing through the door to this room."

"I CAN fit it through the door." She snapped. "I just have to turn it sideways…and tilt it at a forty five degree angle."

They chatted away as we ate, Sorana keeping mostly silent, though she smiled at their antics. It really helped put me at ease. Being on a ship to the ass end of this galaxy with a bunch of high rankers I didn't know wasn't exactly a comfortable experience. I wasn't scared or anything, mostly just kind of stiff and formal. Walking on eggshells, but more socially than anything else.

The fact that they tried so hard to make me welcome was pretty cool. Once we finished eating, they brought me to a huge metal chamber with padded floors. "Alright. This is our training room." Said Kristoff proudly. "Madam Celia informed us of some of your tricks, but you can't do anything to this place. So feel free to go nuts with it. I wouldn't use the Psuedo-Domain though." He cautioned quickly. "It isn't going to work properly on any of us."

Considering what Limbo DID, that was a good point. Manipulation of the body was unlikely to even make them twitch. Still, it was a good opportunity to see my new power in action.

I triggered Mephistopheles and Belial. I felt the power roll out of me and into the suit as Belial activated, resonating and feeding back into me like some kind of echo chamber. It made my blood and body SING. I loved it. I drew my staff, spinning it up to get a feel for this new power level.

To my surprise, having the two forms active was…nothing. Not only was the strain infinitesimal compared to before (I was positive I could keep three forms up for a while even under normal circumstances) but the armor's power boost seemed to feed into the exact part of me that was strained by those forms to begin with. What little stress it DID still cause was alleviated almost completely. I could literally keep this up all day. I bounced lightly on my toes, something that should have made tons of noise, but the Nightiron in the suit barely even clanked.

Focusing hard on myself, I decided to try out something new. I'd been considering my mother's martial art, and while I had many forms, I didn't really have much of a physical enhancement ability. Her flaming body technique was perfect for me, with some tweaks, and I'd been trying to adapt it for a while.

In the past though, something was missing. Maybe my soul wasn't strong enough, maybe I didn't have the Impact. Whatever it was, I found it much easier to work with techniques now. A quick Piece of Mind and I was able to set up a rough outline of what I needed.

I used Belial as a base, since the form was made of corrosive magma. I just funneled the dark flame of Mephistopheles into Belial's toxic flame, supercharging my muscles and bones as the hellfire pushed my physical body to a new level. I leaned into Jessie's method, creating a story in my head as I worked.

Mephistopheles granting his great power to Belial to help the demon lord ascend the throne of the first circle, a dark alliance of unparalleled might that created an unstoppable demonic prince. Infernal power supercharging the body to create a machine of pure demonic destruction. I called it the Abomination Engine.

I bounced again, but this time I felt…smoother. Like the air around me had gone from being gelatin to oil. When I touched down, I blasted forward in a Waltz, spinning staff coming around as I struck at Keiko, who WAS now holding a giant ass hammer with a rectangular head as big as my torso.

She smirked as she saw me coming, shifting her grip slightly. She was suppressing her Impact down to my level, but even so it was laughably easy for her to counter…my first blow.

Her eyes widened as I vanished, the Waltz carrying me forward. The next blow was stronger. The Abomination Engine was a machine, and it ramped up endlessly. Each explosive step from my Waltz pushed my body to greater heights.

Blink, behind her, blink, above her, blink, on her left. Explosions rocked the training area as my staff unleashed corrosive black destruction, the powerful mix of my two forms.

"Enough." Said a voice as I was jerked to a stop. I spun to attack, but Sorana caught it easily. "Stop." She said calmly. "Feel."

I did…and I was shocked. My body was fucking destroyed. Swathes of the magma was ripped apart. I was pretty sure if I'd been solid I'd have broken bones and torn muscles. I heaved out great bellowing breaths, toxi steam erupting from my mouth. Luckily they were all high rankers.

"Impressive." Said Keiko cheerfully. "That was one of the most effective augmentation techniques I've ever seen. Maybe a bit TOO effective."

I put my hands on my knees, storing my staff. "Yup. That was…wow. That one doesn't stop scaling up." In retrospect, a technique that used the power of destruction to supercharge the body was bound to be rough on the physical form. Belial alleviated some of it, but I was pretty sure I would need to add Mornax in to the rotation to keep that up long enough to be useful.

Sadly, I would ALSO need to add a cap. Still, it was exciting to see how many new techniques this rank up had opened up to me. I had so many options even using just the two (or maybe three with Mornax) forms I was planning to focus on.

"Sorry." I said as I straightened up. "That was a little embarrassing."

"Nah." Said Kristoff with a laugh. "Testing new moves is what training is for, kid. Better than trying them out in combat. You've got a month to work out the kinks, and we're here to help. I can see serious potential there. You'll be a menace by the time we're done with you."

I laughed, but it felt good to hear it. I'd been worried about what to do with myself on the trip without my friends here, and now I had the answer. Training I was more than up to. I was going to need it too. I needed to pass this selection and get pulled into the camp of the Lady of Lamentation, and I needed to be strong to do it.

My stats should climb pretty fast from the wishes I'd left behind, I should be able to do thirteen or fourteen per wish now, having passed D-rank. A month would be a big bump, and I'd have Callie tell the others to focus on Might. I had a feeling this particular alter ego would be Might heavy to the extreme, and both corrosion and raw force would benefit.

After a bit of a rest up, I settled back in to spar with Keiko again. Kristoff was right, I could learn a lot from them. My first big solo adventure would start not too long from now, and I needed to be as prepared as possible. I squeezed my massive gauntleted fists in anticipation of the power to come, and I felt a rush of pure adrenaline at what I could become.

Shane had so many things to worry about, I'd almost forgotten what it was like to just lose myself in training. Mephistopheles though, he didn't have to care about god wars or planetary invasions. Just how to be a bigger badass. And I was going to make sure to be the biggest of all.

 

[Malcolm Tent]

My staff came struck out with the force of an exploding sun, smashing against the armored form of the C-ranker I'd been sparring with and sending them back a step. I tried to follow up, but Abomination Engine had capped out with that last blow. It was about as much as I could take, even using Mornax to reinforce my body.

"I'm kicked." I called as I dropped onto my ass, the heavy plate thumping down on the mat as I slumped back, sprawling out in an exhausted pancake of pure relief.

Keiko happily strolled over to look down at me. "That was pretty good." She jerked a thumb at my opponent. "Vandal is one of our most durable C-rankers. Even moving him back a step is way beyond your current Might stat. Which is what, actually, I forgot to ask? You got a bump recently, I can tell."

"Thirty one thousand two hundred." I groaned. "Five thousand points in that one, with my wishes and the last of the income from the siege combined. That's starting to taper off sadly. The renown from all those mortals was used up pretty fast. But hey, I got another thousand Fantasy at least."

She held out a hand, effortlessly pulling me to my feet. "Being able to make those scrolls and store them for your wife to pass out was definitely a good idea. But your techniques have come a long way. You've refined that Abomination Engine into a brutal fighting style. I still think you should consider a maul like mine for usage though. Or maybe an axe."

"Goetia is a staff art." I said firmly. "I can't deviate too far from the essence of my ability. I've just got to keep working. Do you think that attack was enough to keep up with the stronger D-rankers I might run into?"

Crossing the rank divide was tough, but possible from D to C-rank. That said, it would be way more likely when I was closer to the peak of my rank, and up against someone a little closer to the beginning of C. Which was why they'd picked Vandal as my sparring partner. He was tough enough for me to go all out without any real risk, but still had enough Impact at C-rank to be vaguely movable.

I'd been hoping that my new combat techniques would bridge the gap a bit more, but a part of me had known I wouldn't be actually beating him. This was realistically the best I could hope for.

"Hard to say." She mused. "There are so many kinds of abilities out there. Some of them are a hard counter for even your levels of power. That said, barring some kind of perfect defense or kinetic absorption that also has some kind of corrosion offset, I'm pretty sure you have the raw power to take on most early to mid D-rankers. As for the rest…"

"I need to grow." I sighed. "I know. I still have ninety percent of D-rank ahead of me, it's unrealistic to be invincible at the same rank. Hell, I wouldn't even say I was that at E-rank, even if I was pretty close."
She nodded sympathetically. "Your Path puts you pretty far ahead of most people at your stage of development, though. So you might not be invincible, but you're still punching far above your weight. At the end of the day though, you're not Might focused. Not really. You can't rely on brute force, which is part of what we've been doing here."

"Working some of my other tools into my combat techniques." I said with a sigh. "I know it. Are we almost there? We should be reaching orbit around Rackham soon, right?"

We'd spent the last month in transit on my grandmother's S-rank spaceship, heading for the planet Rackham at the opposite edge of Unity space from my home planet of Callus. I'd been separated from my wife of roughly six months soon after being reunited to do some crazy infiltration job for my lunatic great-grandmother so she would declare my family off limits to her fanatical cult of followers.

When a goddess gives you a job, there isn't much to say but yes, so I was en route to this backwater planet to enter some kind of selection tournament to get in good with one of the vanished gods, a member of a pantheon of rogue deities currently at war with the six gods of our current universal order, of which my great-grandmother, Black Sorrow, was one.

Her daughter, my grandmother Celia (formerly known as Drowning Shade), had defied her mother to run off with my grandfather, Nicholas Andres, the current Radiant Pope of the Church of the Red Revenant (another god and her husband and worst enemy, not to mention Celia's father, who Nicholas was the youngest disciple of), decades ago. The situation had been hidden from Black Sorrow until recently, but once she found out only the truce brought on by the god war had forestalled her attempts to have us all killed (except Celia, she was still attached).

To say my family situation was a hot mess was an understatement on the level of referring to your average exploding sun as 'warm'.

Still, my grandmother had left me with her guard captain Sorana, her assistant Kristoff, and Keiko, who was an expert in strength based combat, not to mention a bitchin' suit of extremely powerful C-rank armor aimed at boosting my combat abilities enough to make this task only ALMOST impossible, instead of just being a blatant suicide mission.

It helped that my grandfather's senior bother, another of the Popes of the Church, had given us a heading with his karmic abilities so we would be sure to maximize my chances of being accepted by the Lady of Lamentation so I could get my hands on the location of her father's world so that my great-grandmother could integrate it with her own for a big power boost.

Thinking of Callie made me reach out to my wife with our bond, the connection created by the Expert Paired Duelling Skill we shared. I felt a pulse of warmth and reassurance, but didn't bother to reach out. We had a call (for some value of that word) set up for night time before bed, just so we could keep in touch and be there for each other over longer distances.

"We're coming into orbit." She said as we made our way out of the training room. "You'll be descending tomorrow morning. Madam Celia wanted us to make sure you were well rested and fed before you go planetside." She smirked at me. "Apparently the incredibly broad shouldered armor was a hint. She thinks you're too skinny."

I made an outraged sound. "I am PERFECTLY proportioned. I have a swimmer's build. Also I'm an Ascendant, she does know she can't ACTUALLY put more meat on my bones right?"

"She might've been kidding." Admitted Keiko. "It's so hard to tell with her. She does NOT emote much. There's always at least a fifty percent chance that she's messing with us and we just don't notice."

That made me laugh. "That I can believe. No way she's married to grandpa Nick without a sense of humor."

My grandfather was one of the most laid back people I'd ever met, and loved to joke around. He liked to play up how strict his wife was, but I'd always gotten the impression he just liked putting people off balance. Celia had seemed pretty chill to me.

We entered the galley still chuckling, and Kristoff, Sorana's lieutenant, and my grandmother's captain of the guard herself, waved us over to the table. "Shane!' Boomed the big man who specialized in fast paced combat. "Heard you knocked Vandal on his ass in training!"

Laughing, I dropped onto the bench seat. "Not even close. I barely moved him. Nice to know people are making me look good though."

He clicked his tongue. "No, no, no. You're an Ascendant. Always take maximum credit. Hell, go further. Say you destroyed him so thoroughly he can't even look you in the eye anymore. You shattered his confidence and he can never be in a real fight again."

"Please don't corrupt the Madame's Grandson with your showboating nonsense." Said Sorana mildly. "He's a very powerful young man and will have no problem establishing his legend in the proper way. Shortcuts create weaknesses in your foundation. What if he starts getting a reputation for exaggerating and people stop believing the TRUE stories."

"That can happen?" I asked worriedly. "Because some of the shit I've done probably seems unbelievable."

She smiled reassuringly. "I wouldn't be concerned. Ascendant culture is built on stories, and we have our ways of verifying information." I nodded in relief. I was pretty sure that was what made secrets such a blindspot for the wish power, how hard it was to keep them. If something stayed buried, you knew for damned sure someone wanted it that way.

They waved over a server, who set down a silver tray in front of me and removed the domed cover to reveal a huge plate of prime rib with mashed potatoes and vegetables (some kind of squash and zucchini mix). "Man, you guys definitely went all out today. Decided to give me a last meal, huh?"

"Nah," said Kristoff cheerfully. "If you die it'll be weeks from now probably. You'll eat tons of stuff before then." There was a thump and he grunted, grimacing in pain at Keiko before clearing his throat. "I mean, you're definitely not going to die and will eat many more meals, some of them on this ship for sure."

"You will do fine, I'm sure." Said Sorana warmly. "You're a talented young man. I've never seen anyone take to technique modification like you. You've got an unbelievable talent for it. Your-" she grimaced. "Abomination Engine, despite its unpleasant name, is a wonderfully complex technique with endless potential."

I actually blushed a bit at the praise. Being told you're talented by an A-ranker is always a fun thing to hear, especially someone strong enough to be my grandmother's guard captain. "Thanks, that means a lot. I'm excited to see what I can do on my own, really."

"We've all been there." Said Keiko with a laugh. "You're in a good position. D-ranker with a bit of extra Impact and a Solid Path? Plus your pseudo Domain. You've got plenty of advantages. If I could give you any advice, it would be not to get in your own head. You don't magically become a different person without backup. The things you've done until now you can still do just as easily on your own."

That was really good advice. It was easy to think of this as almost the first step in my great journey, but it definitely wasn't. I'd been through a lot, and had proven myself time and time again. I could do this.

"Thanks." I smiled at her. "That helps a lot actually." I glanced at the other two. "How about you guys? Any notes?"

Sorana shook her head, but Kristoff responded. "You should change your demeanor a bit more to match your imposing presence in your new identity. You have the voice and the power, but you're sort of informal. Which is fine, but think about who you want to be seen as when you're being Mephistopheles."

"He's not wrong." Admitted Sorana. "Presentation is an important aspect of Ascendant culture."

We talked more about possible things I could do to improve my first impression, things I'd learned about Rackham, and exactly what Id do when I got down there, and the more we spoke the more relaxed I got. This wouldn't be easy by any means, but it would definitely be exciting. Now that I was out of my head a little, I could focus on the adventure, and I was pretty sure that was exactly what I needed.

 

[Heavenly Mark]

Interesting

 

[BJJPanda]

Holy Exposition Batman!

 

[Malcolm Tent]

The descent to Rackham was uneventful. They put me on a shuttle, ferried me down to an out of the way forest, pointed me towards a town and then wished me luck. The Acheron was going to wait in orbit (its stealth capabilities were apparently pretty impressive) in case I needed a quick exit. Grandma might be willing to go along with her mother's plan, but she wasn't willing to leave me completely unprotected.

Once they were gone, I was on my own, and I just felt…peace. I'd broken my shackle at the temple in much lonelier conditions than this. I wasn't abandoned or forgotten. My friends were still with me, even if they weren't here. With that surety, I could really just let myself enjoy my own solo adventure.

Rackham, to my surprise, was a B-rank planet. I hadn't been aware there were any of those at the edge of galaxies. This one was on the border between Conglomerate and Imperial space, and from what I'd seen on our flyover, they had that anachronistic magi-medieval feel that Stratholme had. The weight of the planet wasn't too bad, nothing more than a C-ranked planet had been when I was still an E-ranker, and I had plenty of energy to head off into the unknown.

Even the fact that I was in a forest didn't bother me. I had some bad experiences in the woods, but here, now, I felt like the world was holding its breath. I could hear the little noises that came with the ecosystem, the chiming of insects, wind through the trees, little animals scurrying on branches, but there was no hum of humanity. No hustle and bustle.

I could have pushed my Perception until there WAS, but I didn't. I left it balanced with my Focus so I could enjoy the sensations around me.

The grass was cold, crunching under my metal boots as I walked, and I lost myself in the solitude for a bit. Sadly, all good things must end, and even with my senses limited to a normal range, I eventually reached the vicinity of the city I'd been aimed at.

I admit, I took a bit of dark amusement in the image I must have projected, walking calmly from the dark forest in my colossal dark armor with my terrifying obsidian mask. I noticed the attention on me nearly instantly as they noticed my approach, my Danger Sense pinging softly. I was pretty sure they had their weapons at the ready but weren't planning to attack. I was able to pick out five different guards on the walls surrounding the city with my Eye of Revelation, and two of them appeared above the old fashioned gate as I came within easy speaking range.

"Halt!" Boomed the one on the left. "Who seeks entry to Drakensburg?"

The other one rolled his eyes. "Come on Jerry, do you have to do the super formal gate guard thing every time someone new shows up? You sound ridiculous."

Jerry the gate guard growled and stomped his foot lightly. "Damn it Carl! Don't undermine my authority in front of the new visitors! We need to assert our authority! All these weirdos have been showing up lately and if we don't project a strong image they'll like…burn down the tavern or run off with all the pretty girls."

"And the truth comes out!" Crowed Carl. "You're still sore because that handsome guy with the gold eyes and the wolf ears asked Lisa out."

"I told you not to bring that up!" Shouted Jerry furiously.

Carl shrugged. "Then you should have asked her out ages ago. It's your own fault. I mean she might have said no, but you can't expect her to wait around, especially since she didn't know you existed beyond the occasional hello when you went into the general store."

"We had a connection!" Spat Jerry. "She always gave me an extra few stalks of corn when I-"

"SILENCE!" I finally boomed. The ground trembled as my Path infused my voice with an edge of destruction, giving the sound waves a bit of a bump. Nothing like an actual attack, but something beyond mere words. They froze, eyes wide as they turned to look down at me. I could see fear flickering across the expression, and I toned it down a bit, point made. "I seek entry to your city." I boomed in a flat voice.

Jerry cleared his throat. "Right. Well…yes. We can let you in. It's considered polite to offer some compensation to the brave men and women who risk their lives to keep the city saf-" I snagged an E-rank chit from my ring and flicked it at him in a blurring fast motion. The coin smacked into his forehead and he squeaked in dismay as he stumbled backwards and off the wall.

The small flash of black flame on impact went unnoticed by the others, but the D-rank guard was blown back in a gesture that was both impressive and a clear statement. "Was that enough?" I asked glibly. "Or should I pay some more." I called out a few more coins, rolling them dextrously over the knuckles of my gauntlet in a very visible way.

"No need." Said Carl hurriedly. "That was more than enough. Please, come inside!"

He tapped his toe against the stone of the wall twice and the gate began to open. I stashed my coins again and strolled unhurriedly through the opening once it was large enough. As I passed Jerry, who was lying in the mud on the other side, I glance down at him dispassionately. He stared back for a second, then slumped bonelessly, letting his head fall to one side and his tongue loll out in the least convincing approximation of unconsciousness I'd ever seen.

I kept my laugh internal, but it was pretty funny. Playing the big bad was kind of fun, if I was being honest. I felt the Danger Sense continue as I strode down the path into town, and if I stretched my senses I could catch the slight sounds of pursuit. I debated triggered Bael just to fuck with them, but blowing my cover on a joke seemed dumb.

Belial and Mephistopheles, with the occasional burst of Mornax. That was my skillset in this identity. I'd need to get used to that.

I had been walking for about five minutes when I realized something kind of embarrassing. I had no clue where I was GOING. I knew this planet was supposed to be where the selection took place, but that was as much as we'd been able to learn. Sure, I was aware of the major landmarks and some historical trivia about Rackham, but barring a planetwide scan for a giant sign that said 'vanished gods recruitment here' I was kind of on my own.

Which, of course, meant I needed to lean on my experience. So…I needed to go to a bar. Literally every piece of information I'd ever gotten that wasn't from a literal information broker had been found at a pub, tavern, bar, or some other liquor slinging establishment.

I wondered if all the stories about info being found in seedy bars had altered the universe to fit that narrative. It wouldn't be the first time widespread belief had changed things up. Regardless, it was the only lead I had, so I searched for the nearest tavern and made my way over, throwing both doors open dramatically as I entered.

There was a slight pause when I entered. Not the music in the background, but conversation came to a halt as everyone turned to stare at the giant armored beast that was Mephistopheles. It was kind of a confidence booster.

I took a deep breath, trying to think of what to say, and finally settled on. "I have come for the reckoning."

My booming demon voice carried through the tavern, and I saw a bunch of people avert their eyes. The term I'd used wasn't one I'd heard for the selection, but it sounded demonic and pretentious while still being easy to link to the selection. I was betting it was going to catch on. Maybe I could add trendsetting to my list of Skills.

At the back of the bar, a man grinned. He had dark skin and close cropped metallic gold hair. His eyes shone like golden coins, and they were calm and centered. Next to him, a massive pale man with aquamarine hair in a braid sat with a slim girl with literal seaweed growing from her scalp. Their eyes were a matching shade of blood red, and they shone with interest. I pointed at finger at her ominously. "You." I boomed. "You've come to be chosen."

The eyes reminded me of what Carl had said about recent visitors. Apparently having my limited brain space taken up by Jerry's babbling had accomplished SOMETHING. I stalked forward, footfalls shaking the glassware on the table (not stomping but just letting my body settle harder than it needed to with each step). I stopped in front of them, looming over their table.

"Well." Said golden eye. "Aren't you a menacing bastard? What do you two think? Is he the scariest one we've seen so far?: It's either him or that ogre with missing eye."

The big man shook his head. "Trying too hard." He said simply.

That got a laugh from the girl. "I think he's making it work." She framed me with her fingers like she was taking a picture. "The height is doing a lot of work, but that armor is fucking monstrous. It's C-rank, and definitely custom to fit someone that size. I get the chills just looking at it. Plus that mask is a horrifying work of art. That's a face even a mother couldn't love."

I wasn't exactly complaining about how scary the mask was. She was right, it was terribly disturbing. Black Sorrow might be capricious and sociopathic, but she had her aesthetic down pat.

"I can agree to that." Said golden eye. "Well, you going to sit down, tall dark and disturbing, or are you expecting to loom over us all night?" Looking at him for a moment, I grabbed a chair and pulled it out, settling down heavily and crossing my arms. He nodded cheerfully. "See now, that's better. What's your name friend? I'm Rayden Strent, and this is Cavallo and Desria Mek. We've come to this charming little hamlet to seek our fortunes."

"Mephistopheles." I rumbled. "I seek only greatness." It was a pretentious answer, but it was in character. I could let the formality drop over time, but I didn't know if I'd see these people again, so I wanted to maintain my mystique.

He whistled. "Hell of a name." He said with a wink. "But a bit of a mouthful. I think I'll call you Fist. You've certainly got two big ones. Tower menacingly if you don't mind. Perfect, it's settled then."

I sighed. "Address me as you wish. I care not. But when you speak of me to others, do so with the proper respect."

"Seems fair." He chirped. "So, Fist. I suspect you're here for the same event we are. How exactly did you hear about this little get together. I was told invitations were awfully tough to come by."

I opened my mouth to give some vague answer, but I was cut off by an explosion that rocked the floor beneath us. Rayden and friends snapped to their feet, staring out the door, tension in their formerly relaxed bodies. I almost had to smile at the turn. This kind of shit happened to me all the time, I was used to it.

For the first time I wondered if maybe Black Sorrow wasn't just fucking with me. Maybe she was also fucking with THEM. Sending someone as heavily drenched in fate as I was into an event like this was basically a guarantee it would go off the rails. The thought put a smile on my face. The suicide mission had been a depressing though, but this? I could have fun with this.

 

[Malcolm Tent]

strode out the door fast enough to be noticeably hurrying but not fast enough to seem panicked. Mephistopheles was a methodical, implacable kind of guy, and I wanted to really cement that image.

Rayden caught up to me within seconds, jogging without any worries about image. Lucky bastard. "Hey, Fist-o! Wait up."

"I have changed my mind." I intoned. "I do care how you address me. You will refrain from using such a ridiculous moniker for my person." I didn't mind Fist that much, but Fist-o wasn't anything I wanted to go by.

"You got it Fisty." He said with a thumbs up. "I'll keep going through nicknames until we find the perfect one. It'll be Fisteriffic."

I almost groaned out loud. It was like dealing with Bethy. Actually it wasn't, Rayden wasn't half as endearing. I really missed my vampire bestie. And Benny, and Jessie. But I shook that off. If the act of talking to people made me homesick, I needed to socialize more than I thought. I sighed. "Fist-o is acceptable."

"No can do Fisterino." He chirped. "I refuse to call you something that you so clearly hate. I'll never use the name Fist-o again. We'll find you the perfect nickname Fistocles."

"Oh look." I drawled as we rounded a corner. "A distraction."

His head whipped around, his lips peeling back in delight as he watched what appeared to be a giant green ferret made of lightning jump on a towering figure with the head of a bull as it tried to smash the beast into the ground. It dissolved into a shower of verdant sparks as the bull man roared his anger.

"Puddles!" Shouted a green haired girl in a green leather jacket. "Tanner, what the actual fuck? It takes him hours to reform when he gets destroyed, what are you waiting for?"

A figure appeared behind bull man, climbing his back and reaching around with a dagger to try to hook back and slit his throat. The knife got caught in his fur and he reached back, grabbing the formerly invisible guy and hurling him at a nearby building. The armored sneak hit the shadows of the building and melted in, and I heard the green girl sigh.

"Fools!" Boomed the minotaur. "You speak to me as equals? I will crush you all!"

I knew Mephistopheles wouldn't do anything. He would probably just watch and enjoy the show…but I was still Shane in real life. I was a hero, or I tried to be, and I wasn't going to let this big asshole crush these people because they'd TALKED to him informally. My instincts were screaming at me to help, and I tried to listen to my gut. Withdrawing my staff, I stepped forward, and I reached for Limbo.
Despite the month of training, I hadn't gotten much of an opportunity to work with Limbo. It didn't work on people too far above my rank, and most of my sparring partners were. Still, I'd been workshopping the pseudo Domain. After a month of backstopping and tweaking the imagery, I'd managed to refine the ability into something both more useful, and more deadly.

As I stepped into the First Circle of Hell, I felt the world around me shift. Not overly much, not a full change. It was less like a real Domain and more like a film I'd laid over the world that lubricated my powers a bit.

My mind split. Piece of Mind creating parallels of me to parse the information from a combination of the Overlay and Eye of Revelation.

The last time I'd used this ability my mistake had been following the narrative in the heat of the moment. I hadn't done my due diligence, hadn't shaped the pseudo Domain to be what I needed, and so it shaped me. This time though, I'd done the work, come up with the legend I needed, and I had tied it intimately into who I was.

Moonlit Night to set the stage, Eye of Revelation and the Overlay to predict their actions, Piece of Mind to parse the multitudes of possibility, and the hyper corrosive black flame of Belial and Mephistopheles to destroy the other options.

Rather than manipulate him with the Domain like a puppetmaster, i identified the possible outcomes, and used the power of my destructive energy to eradicate the paths they had until they walked the one I wanted. I still controlled and deceived, but this was more in like not only with my destructive side, but with my Fatewalker nature.

The minotaur spun, roaring at me, and I saw a thousand reactions, blazing through my head like an infinite map. In a feat I wouldn't have been able to do without my pseudo Domain (I was just going to start thinking of it as a lowercase D domain for ease of consideration) I saw all the possible outcomes, parsed and analyzed them as a dozen people, and discarded the ones I didn't want.

My staff licked out, explosions of dark energy destroying possible outcomes as I boxed the minotaur in, getting rid of possibilities before they could be realized and slowly constraining the big bastard to dance on my string like a puppet. I felt that cold, sadistic joy well up in me again, but it was muted this time, balanced by the Fatewalker and by my own new and more powerful soul.

The bull man roared, diving forward…into my staff. An explosion knocked him back, and he fell right onto a strike as I Double Troubled behind him. Every step was like destiny, implacable, inevitable. I wasn't just beating him. I was making him beat himself, smashing into my staff at the exact right time.

It took only a few seconds for him to drop, flesh sizzling and burning from my powerful dark corruption. Everyone around us was just staring at me as I let the First Circle recede, the domain returning to where it came from. I felt a surge of weakness after it was gone, but not enough to seriously bother me. Much more manageable than before.

Rayden whistled. "Damn Fist, that was fucking brutal. Did you guys see that? That was some 'quit hitting yourself' type of shit."

I almost laughed, before I remembered I was playing tall dark and brooding, so I just loomed ominously. The one upside to the shock and awe approach I'd taken was it had been so overwhelming people had forgotten to ask WHY I'd done it. I probably just seemed like I wanted to kick the shit out of some huge powerful Ascendant.

"That really WAS awesome!" Chriped the green haired girl. "Thanks for the save, big guy. I'm Vesper, and that over there is Tanner. Puddles is my summon, though he's gone, and our friend Archimedes was setting up a big attack to take down the beefcake over there." She gestured at bull guy. "Still, it was really nice of you to lend a hand."

Shaking my head, I boomed. "I simply wished to test my strength against a worthy foe. Your fates were immaterial to me."

She chuckled. "Whatever you say, big guy. I can tell you're a big softie deep down."

"Right?" laughed Rayden. "He's definitely a nice guy. I can tell." He grinned charmingly, holding out a hand. Rayden Strent, at your service milady." He leaned down to kiss her knuckles and she rolled her eyes, though she smiled at a bit at the gesture. "I was just about to step in to help.

Desria snorted, her seaweed hair drifting oddly on the light breeze in a way that resembled actual underwater plants. "Can you not be a shameless flirt, for like…five minutes, Ray. These people are probably our competition. I'm guessing you guys are here for the selection like we are?"

Vesper shrugged nervously. "I mean…maybe? I'm not sure. My faction is kind of under a lot of pressure. I'm from a system near here, and when I heard about this…I don't know if I really have any other options, but a lot of these gods don't really sit right with me. I'm still deciding on whether we're going to enter."

"We are." Said another voice as a tall blonde man with broad shoulders stepped into view. Over one shoulder he was carrying a massive war maul, the head glowing with condensed power. Archimedes, I took it, and that would be his big hit. The fact that it was still teed up was a bit alarming, and I immediately went on guard.

Rayden seemed not to care, and Desria remained relaxed, but Cavallo, the big quiet aqua haired member of their trio, narrowed his blood red eyes at the other warrior, sizing him up.
Vesper glared at the blonde. "We decide that TOGETHER, Archie. And we haven't. Tanner and I are still on the fence, so unless you want to go it alone you'll wait for us to make a decision. I don't appreciate you trying to bully us into falling in line.

"Tell you what." Rayden said cheerfully. "Why don't we treat you all to a bit of food. We were just going to break bread and get to know our terrifying friend here before your fight caught us off guard." His tone was bright and inviting and I felt kind of…confused.

This wasn't going how I expected. I thought everyone who showed up here would be an edgy lunatic hell bent on crushing people under their boot. These people all seemed…nice. Just friendly Ascendants my own age. Sure the minotaur was a dick, but that still wasn't like…evil. These people were here for their own reasons, and they weren't all bloodthirsty monsters like I'd expected.

But that didn't matter, really. I was still going to have to get through them to win this. To beat them all so I could be free of my great grandmother and my family could be back together. Granted, my dad would still probably be off doing whatever until I kicked his ass and dragged him back, but being able to go visit my grandfather in the Holy Dominion, see where my sister grew up. It all sounded like a dream.

So I firmed my resolve and settled into my character, but I also promised myself I wouldn't ignore this feeling either. Callie was there with me, her love and support giving me the resolve to do what I could for these people. People like Vesper and Rayden might be decent despite their desperate situations, and if they were, I would help them.

I could have Sorana pick them up on the Acheron when I left if I felt they were worth saving. So I followed the group back to the tavern, and we all sat down and ordered. I got some shepherds pie and a mug of root beer, and everyone was suitably terrified when they saw my mask mouth open.

After we decompressed a bit and got to know each other, I turned my attention to something Vesper had said. After a brief pause, I finally asked. "Tell me about 'the selection' as you call it. Tell me what you know of those who are chosen."

Vesper chuckled. "Seems like its the least we owe you. We can do that. I don't know how much it'll help though. We just heard a rumor and came here on a whim. I THINK someone said something about the selection happening in Deltaverde, but the trip there is taking us a while." She coughed in embarrassment. "We're not used to B-rank planets."

I got that, though I couldn't say so. Rayden had no such compunction, however. "Yeah there's an adjustment period. Don't worry, you can stick with us. We can track down Deltaverde together. Once things kick off we might be rivals, but there's no reason not to work together until then." He grinned at me. "You're invited too, big guy." I thought for a second and then nodded. Having some help certainly couldn't hurt. I'd take what I could get.