NOVEL NEXT Chapter 69: Promesse
"Well?" asked Gloria as Priam rose to his feet.
"Nothing. It's a mass of flesh, muscle and bone. If Anatole merged with this creature, he was dead before my spear touched him," Priam said gloomily.
Gloria nodded. "Too bad. Besides, you're out of aether, aren't you? I was wondering why you didn't attack me," Gloria said mischievously.
Priam remained silent.
Gloria harrumphed. "You're not very talkative. Too bad, I have no desire to confront you either after seeing your attack. I'll be going before you get your aether back, then. Until next time, Priam!"
Gloria waved him off, then moved off toward a tunnel. It wasn't the one Priam had come through and must lead to other revenant camps. The young Viscount turned his attention back to the corpse of the Abomination.
Anatole had run away. Or had never been there. It was the only explanation for the absence of a quest reward. Priam had contracted two quests calling for Anatole's death. Neither of them had been validated.
However, all was not lost. Priam leaned back towards the Abomination and plunged his hand into the vile mass of muscle and putrefied flesh. The smell was unbearable, but his new sense of smell enabled him to ignore it.
After several seconds of searching, his hand found what he had hidden from Gloria. An urn. Priam searched the mist for Gloria. When he found no trace of the young woman, he pulled it out.
It appeared to be made of bronze, but Priam would have bet that his most powerful attack didn't have the power to scratch its surface. The lights from the torches set out by the Revenants reflected off its surface.
Leaving aside the wisps of black smoke that hugged its luminous reflections, the urn looked almost normal. It should also be noted that it was too clean. There were no traces of blood or dirt on it.
[Identification]
[Funerary Urn of the Depths] - A mysterious urn. Contains the soul fragment of an Earl of the Depths.
His skill wasn't powerful enough, and the description was terse. Despite this, a smile appeared on Priam's face. Anatole might have run away, but he had to abandon the Urn.
Update: A Light in the Depths.
You've released part of the consciousness of a Phoenix Prince.
Recover or destroy the Urn of the Depths.
Reward: Your Bound Weapon will be tempered by the grace of the Phoenix
Priam smiled as the notification confirmed his conclusions. His spear appeared in his hand, and Priam felt a question coming from it.
"You can evolve," said Priam. His spear was slowly developing a consciousness. He'd realized this during his fights. It was becoming increasingly familiar to him, and he was handling it better. Today, his bound weapon had the possibility of evolving, increasing its power and their compatibility. Priam just hoped the transformation would be completed before his Tribulations.
Out of nowhere, a flame appeared. It seemed immaterial and gave off no heat. Yet it exuded a noble and potent aura.
Winding around itself, the flame transformed, gradually taking on the shape of a Phoenix. The mythical animal took to the air, circling the cavern before coming to rest before Priam.
Quietly flapping his wings, it opened its mouth, and the hoplite spear levitated into it.
The Phoenix opened its copper-colored eyes, and time slowed down. Priam's heart had stopped beating, and only his consciousness now observed the spectacle before him. In his mind, a distant star, barely visible, began to shine. His Talent [Bound Weapon] was resonating with the Phoenix.
The legendary bird changed color. Its flames evolved according to the wavelengths of the rainbow. From red, they became yellow, green, blue and then violet. Without stopping, they continued towards the ultraviolet, and Priam's eyes adjusted. He felt a skill building up. Panicking, he connected to his Potential to prevent its creation.
You have gained the skill: [Broad-spectrum v... Delayed.
POT -42
Priam would have sighed with relief if he'd been able to move. In a second, he would have winced. Apparently, blocking the creation of a skill was as costly as creating it...
Unmoved by the Viscount's thoughts, the Phoenix continued his transformation. Before long, it became invisible. Priam could still feel its presence. [Aether Perception] was deactivated to save his aether, but his META-Perception attribute enabled him to passively detect aether.
After a time Priam couldn't measure, the Phoenix reappeared. Its feathers were now incandescent white and Priam was blinded by its light. The Phoenix opened its mouth and screamed.
Moments later, the world began to spin again. Priam felt reality reconnect and regained his sight. In front of him, floating a few centimeters above his hands, there was a long spear.
Its shaft, about two meters long, was silvered. Runes resembling phoenix feathers caught the eye. The spear's copper tip seemed capable of piercing any material. Moving closer to admire it, Priam noticed the light playing with the blade, creating flamboyant reflections. After seeing the transformation with his own eyes, the Viscount didn't know what to think. A flame had been imprisoned in his spear, and the weapon seemed blessed by a Phoenix.
Priam stretched out his hand and grasped it. It vibrated between his fingers. He smiled at its natural, firm grip. With this spear, he knew he was capable of incredible feats. Sensing his thoughts, the weapon vibrated, nestling perfectly between his fingers. It couldn't yet communicate with him, but he knew he could count on it. Killing the Earl or surviving his Tribulations were no longer such impossible goals. Smiling, Priam identified it.
[Identification]
[???? - Bound to Priam Azura] - A spear from another world. Bound to its bearer by the Concepts, baptized by battle, blessed by the Phoenix and repeatedly reforged by a mysterious power. Its potential is linked to its wielder. Like the Phoenix, the flames temper it.
As a [Bound Weapon], it benefits from a small portion of its wielder's Titles and Talents.
Improves the effectiveness of spear-based skills.
Would you like to name this weapon?
The System was right, his spear needed a name. Priam was neither bad nor good at finding names. But if this weapon was to accompany him throughout his life and grow with him...
Priam reflected on what he had experienced, fought and survived. This spear would be his weapon, a tool made to attack and defend. A weapon representing a fight and an obsession. To survive, to explore the world and to be free... His weapon would be a means to remain the master of his own destiny.
Being free was a constant struggle. That's what Priam didn't want to forget.
Tomorrow, a year from now and an eternity from now, Priam didn't want to forget who he was.
"Promesse. It means promise in my native tongue."
[Identification]
[Promesse - Bound to Priam Azura]
The spear vibrated and Priam smiled.
"Well, and now..." Priam directed his gaze to the human bodies that had been blown up by the grenades.
Having moved closer, Priam took the pulse of the various bodies. Two were dead - a man and a woman. The woman was certainly Julia, one of the Revenant Generals he'd been notified about. The man must have been the guest. The other two Revenants were simply passed out and Priam finished them off. He had briefly considered questioning them, but time was now his enemy.
First Quest: Soon to be reunited? Updated.
Revenant General - Marie, the poisoner, is dead.
Revenant General - George, the silent one, is dead.
Bonus: Kill at least three of the six Revenant Generals.
Four Revenant Generals killed.
Congratulations!
Reward: Information about your family.
A notification appeared in the System interface and Priam hesitated for a moment. His family information was available. But should he consult it now? His Tribulations were coming soon, and if he learned that his family was in danger... What would he do? Would he go and save them, risking his own life? Would he ignore their ordeal?
Priam knew he would save them. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Running away from reality was not his style. He selected the notification.
Your father, mother, sister and half-brother are alive. Your half-sister is dead.
Bonus (4 dead Generals instead of three): Your father and mother are on the Moon.
Laughter echoed through the cavern. Tears began to roll down Priam's cheeks.
"What a shitty System. I almost single-handedly dismantled one of the biggest threats to humanity and got three sentences?"
Despite his words, Priam was relieved. His father and sister were alive. His half-sister was dead, but the news barely affected him. He should have been sad, but the happiness of knowing his family was alive surpassed everything.
As his laughter began to subside, Priam refocused. Now that he knew his family was all right, he intended to survive and get them to safety. A hint of fear came over him as he reread the information. His sister wasn't on the Moon. Did you refuse to come? Or are you a prisoner? I'll find you, Twinkle, he vowed.
Priam quickly searched the corpses. Their weapons looked okay, but didn't interest him. Their possessions were limited to a few cores, and Priam abandoned them when he realized they were common. Only one of the Generals kept a curious object in her pockets. Some kind of fossil.
[Identification]
[Primo Dinosaur Fossil - Earth] - A fossil of a once-extinct dinosaur...
The description alerted Priam. The object had something to do with Earth. Okay System, I'll keep this with me, I guess.
Priam got to his feet and turned at last to Anne. The young woman hadn't moved since the ritual. He moved closer to her, stepping into the water. The splashing he caused as he approached didn't seem to disturb her.
Finally arriving in front of the woman who had manipulated him, Priam sighed. The woman in front of him was an empty carcass. No glimmer of intelligence emanated from her eyes.
Priam passed his hand in front of her face, and she didn't react. She'd been lobotomized. Or worse.
"Can you hear me?" he asked.
No reply. Priam shrugged before stepping behind Anne. With a flick of his hand, he pushed her over. The young woman fell headlong into the water. The pond couldn't have been more than forty centimeters deep, but she made no effort to get up. Five seconds later, her body began to spasm. Priam watched the spectacle for a few seconds, wary. Anne was a manipulator and could pretend to be lobotomized.
Finally, Priam put an end to her ordeal. He watched pensively as the Revenant's blood dispersed into the water. His revenge against Anne would never be complete. He'd pierced her heart, but she'd died long before that. Anatole...
Sighing, Priam laid Anne's corpse on the bank before retrieving the sapphire. He then observed the pure water of the cavern. Under the light of the few torches present, the pool sparkled with energy. Anatole's technique for triggering the Earl's Tribulation had drained some of its power. Despite this, his meta-perception whispered that it was far from exhausted.
Priam sat cross-legged in the water. Instantly, he felt a gentle wave caress his mind. The water was stagnant, but he could have sworn the tide was rising, filling his being with mental energy. Priam felt as if waking up after a long sleep. Only a few seconds later, he opened his eyes.
Priam ran his hand through the pure water. It continued to give him energy, but time was running out. That said, leaving such a treasure unguarded would have been a shame. Priam was not one to see such a marvel soiled by greedy men! He briefly connected to his Potential.
You have plunged into the heart of a natural pond infused with aether. By the grace of the Concepts, your mind has rested.
Presence of a Concept fragment - Mental Stamina
Capture the fragment?
Cost: 130 Potential
Absorb the fragment?
Cost: 260 Potential
Priam decided to absorb the fragment. [Mirror of the Soul] was an instrumental talent and he felt he had everything to gain by strengthening it. Without the Concept fragment, improving this Talent would cost him a lot.
At the center of his being, his reserve of Potential split into two parts. The smaller piece created a tunnel to... somewhere else. Like the first time he'd absorbed a fragment, an infinite consciousness descended briefly. The shimmering pool became ethereal before disappearing.
[Mirror of the Soul] shook and Priam connected with it. His mental space had changed. The spring housing his reflection had quadrupled in size. The chains impeding his movements were clearer and their origin more obvious. But above all, the reflection was smiling. If the chains had gained in clarity, he had gained in strength. Priam met his own gaze and smiled.
"Time to raise the curtain."
Seraphine pushed aside a last branch and grumbled. She had finally arrived. Her jaw was clenched due to shame and anger. Despite her best efforts, she had lost track of Priam's father. She and Anatole didn't always see eye to eye, but she wasn't stubborn enough to refuse to listen to a good idea. Finding leverage against the Champion of Humanity was a good idea.
Ahead lay a small village. A dozen roughly-built wooden dwellings. A waste of time when you knew that the next Reunion wouldn't be announced for several months. Moreover, the bravest humans wouldn't ask to spend the Reunion on the Moon. After all, why settle for a satellite when a new planet awaited humanity? And Revenant...
The Revenants' Champion made her way through the village. She might have lost track of Priam's father, but all was not lost. She'd found Claire.
Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)
PHYSICAL:
Strength 155
Constitution 258
Agility 166
Vitality 284
Perception 299
MENTAL:
Vivacity 176
Dexterity 201
Memory 50
Willpower 288
Charisma 150
META:
Meta-affinity 141
Meta-focus 98
Meta-endurance 90
Meta-perception 32
Meta-chance 114
Potential: 1085
Tier 0
[He Who Eludes Death] charge OFF. Reloaded in 6 hours 1 min 21s
[Tribulation]: Tribulations are coming.
Time: 10 hours 21 minutes 15 seconds.