Dark Matter Ascension

Finding a place to stock up on survival meals was easy enough, and after making sure everyone except Dee had a hundred in their TPSB, which cost two-hundred Stardust that Jace paid out, they were warped to The Cosmic Corridor.

But this part of the Corridor was unique. It ended. Jace could see the same deep blue and black 'walls' of the Corridor's enormous, supposedly endless tunnel. "Ollie, I thought that this was supposed to be eternal?"

"Oh, it keeps growing – in the other direction. Harkon Secundus was one of the first worlds subjected to Cosmogenic Merging. Hence, it is here, near the start of The Cosmic Corridor."

Jace looked to the enormous, concave wall at the end, "Does that mean X's people came from that blank space?"

"Yes," Ollie replied. "That is where The Cosmic System started."

Symbol Shift (Rank 1), Jace thought as he willed the Black Hole and Supermassive to shift, transforming into Nebula and Flux. "We ready?" he asked as he glanced at his allies.

Priam gave a thumbs up, "To a new world! Oh, but first…" he put his palm over the TPSB, and pulled out the black, shriveled seed shape of the Godheart from the crab deity Jace had killed. "This thing…I don't want it. I meditated on it, thought about it…and the power is icky. Can anyone else use it?"

Ollie shook his head, "Nope, just div-" he cut himself off as he looked at Jace. "Wait a second. I just had a brilliant idea." Ollie flew out of Jace's armor and pointed from Priam to Jace, "Give it to him."

Priam did so, and Jace held the weird object in his hand. "Now what?" Priam asked.

"Wraith," Ollie said using Jace's code name since they were out in public – despite no one being nearby at the far end of the Cosmic Corridor near these dangerous world's portals. "Use Voidsoul on it. At (Rank 2)."

Jace shrugged, "Fine. Voidsoul (Rank 2)." He saw the Godheart melt in his hands, turning into a black sludge that coated his hands, then seeped into the armor and coated his prosthetic arms, before soaking into those.

-----

[Whoa, boss!]

[That's weird.]

[Voidsoul (Rank 2) is letting you absorb the hostile effect…but not regenerate energy.]

[It's trying to…upgrade us?]

[What do you want us to do?]

-----

"Ollie, can you read this?" Jace asked.

"Yup! Give them the go ahead!" The otter crossed his arms as he floated in front of Jace.

"Okay NICIF…do whatever upgrade thing it's trying to do."

-----

[You got it!]

[Standby…]

[NICIF UPGRADED.]

[PSIONIC PROTOCOL CREATED.]

[PSYCHIC PROTOCL CREATED.]

[DEFENSIVE PROTOCOLS ENGAGED.]

[Oh, boss, that is neat!]

[We can make you immune to psionic and psychic effects!]

[That's stuff like mind control, manipulation, emotional dysregulation you don't want us and Ollie to do – all that bad brain stuff!]

-----

Ollie flew back into Jace's armor and wrapped around his neck, "Now you do not have to worry about any mind shenanigans."

"What about us?" Dee asked, gesturing between herself and Greg. "What if we get brain controlled or something?"

Darrin, Greg's spider Wayfinder, popped out of Greg's temple. "Psychic is like a type of damage – Priam's barriers and Greg's resistance function against it. It is like someone directly attacking your psyche, your sense of self. It is a way to force unconsciousness. Very pernicious. As for Psionics? That is broader, but Priam's barriers should block them."

"Speaking of that," Priam said as he pulled out his small metal tube holding his (Conservation) Soul Warden Writ. "Exarch's Ward (Rank 17) [Multi-Target], Exarch's Seraphic Soothe (Rank 1) [Contingent], Exarch's Blessing, (Rank 3) [Enduring]." The bunny boy sagged where he stood, and Greg held him up as the barriers popped into place.

Quinn's voice came over the comms, "Celestial Observers are active, and all the Stratagem Evolutions have been put in place. The trigger condition is when you suffer significant injury – such as a gunshot. Remember, this world is dangerous."

And with Priam's barrier, Jace thought, until it runs out, I can keep Void Shield active without any energy cost. Void Shield (Rank 6), Void Blade (Rank 5) [Rending]. His barrier popped into place, covering his body with the grey and dull white energy of the Void, and he knew the sword on his hip in the dimensional sheath was ablaze with the same grey light, dripping crimson nebula clouds. "Let's go." Jace stepped through the portal leading to Harkon Secundus – a world of cultivation.

Troxanir smiled as his plans came to fruition. "Perfect. And we have other options coming up soon?"

"Yes, sir," one of his Signers replied. "One world is ready to be infiltrated and annihilated. This may upset the Planetary Independence Pact, but none of them are strong enough to oppose your will directly, and they won't leave their worlds. It is the largest group of souls we can hope for."

"Perfect. Then go and fulfill my will." Troxanir put his hand over his Signer's head and transferred the Stardust required to purchase the Boon which would enable his Signer to manifest a planet-cracking bomb. Something that would fracture the world and cause mass destruction, if not outright annihilation and devastation. "We will also, doubtless, draw X's attention. Her Signers are annihilated, yes?"

"Yes, sir. The work of Signer Jericho was exemplary, and it all went according to plan."

"Excellent. Now, on your way. Do not be seen, heard, or known, my Signer. Your death earns your way to paradise. That Churkun Delta world…so many souls waiting for oblivion's embrace. Go bring it to them."

"Your will be done." The Signer departed, traveling to The Cosmic Corridor via a Skill that Troxanir could not use on his avatar, but could be used on his underlings. Granted, the journey was not instantaneous, such as the portals to that place, but it was not hundreds of years at the speed of light.

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And we still have an issue lingering, he thought as he looked out towards the depths of space. His vision was able to pierce any distance, and he zoomed in on a flat, square world. Nihilethelea. The world that the Pulsar Coalition had taken over was just a few hundred thousand miles from the edge of the event horizon of Oblivion's Maw. Zzorth and her pests.

The Pulsar Coalition had been a thorn in his side for a long, long time. Ever since Troxanir obliterated Zzorth's species, the woman had it out for him. She had made destroying the Black Hole Conclave her sole purpose and recruited others to that cause. And now, they had a staging ground within striking distance. Well, it would soon be within striking distance. They would be able to attempt an assault, and Troxanir knew that they had the means to repel his crushing gravity of the singularity. At the exterior edges, at least. Even they could not survive deeper than the event horizon.

But they could damage the ring world he was working on. And that would set back his plans. I need souls, he thought as he looked back at his body within the singularity. I am so close to another level. And then, I can get a Skill to annihilate planets all on my own. He let out a cackle of delight at the idea of shooting beams of entropic energy across the universe, in all directions. Sure, the travel time would be a few hundred or thousand years per target, and he would have to calculate appropriately given orbits and the movement of celestial bodies…but he could take a more active role in growing his power further.

And even better, he thought. No more Dark Between Stars Signers. No more of X's meddling for a good while.

Jace emerged and his breath was almost taken away by what laid out before him. He was standing in the middle of a huge, temple courtyard that was decorated with very ornate buildings – all of them vacant. The roofs were curved with small turrets on top, and spokes sticking out of the corners. Mountains rose up all around them; not just anchored to the ground, which lay somewhere far below mists that obscured sight – but floating in the skies.

He saw winding shapes twirling through the sky, and the sounds of nature were all around. But they were ethereal sounds. Chirping, bleating of animals. Looking back at the portal, he saw an enormous temple that was up long steps.

Greg walked through after him, and he sucked in a short breath. "This looks like the historic preservation districts in Wudang Shan over in the Asia continent. But…far prettier."

Dee came through with Priam a second after, and Priam immediately went to hug Dee's leg. "You never said anything about heights!" Priam shouted as he looked around at the floating mountains with terror on his face.

Dee chuckled and patted him on the head, "It'll be fine, fuzz-butt. Just floating mountains."

"Mountains shouldn't float!"

Jace couldn't help but chuckle, and then he froze as an enormous, earth-shattering roar echoed out from the mountain temple above them. Immediately, he pulled his sword and willed the Sliver Arc to activate, giving him far more mobility. "What was that?" he asked.

Ollie spoke loud enough for everyone to hear, "One of the beasts who cultivated. One of the local administrators. A god. Not just any god, though. Her name is-"

A huge, green and bright-yellow tube shape flew out of the temple entrance far up the steps. It was a massive shape, easily the length of the Hudson River Jace was familiar with from living in New York City. It had scales, horns that jutted from the back of its head, and a long snout with serrated teeth. Four claws on scaled limbs jutted from its torso, and it flew about in lazy circles overhead before descending.

Jace took up a ready stance alongside Greg and Dee, whilst Priam just shrank back towards the portal a bit.

Ollie flew out from Jace's neck as the thing landed. "Hi there! We're here on behalf of Xera!"

The creature moved its head over the group, and sniffed a few times before its huge mouth morphed into a grin. "It has been some time since the Dark Between Stars have graced my world. Welcome to Harkon Secundus." She sniffed more, "One of you bears an item from this world. I would see it."

Ollie went over and tapped Jace on the head, his paw flashing through the helmet to do so. "Retract the arm armor."

Jace did so and showed his left arm. The creature moved its head closer and its long, serpent-like tongue snaked out to lick his arm. It felt ticklish to Jace, and he stifled a giggle from the feeling as she lifted her head up once more.

"You wield the arm of The Arbiter. What do you seek?"

Ollie spoke up once more, "We are here to help cull your excess creature population, get stardust, and gather the remaining Anathema."

The creature nodded, "I would assume Xera will be safeguarding them? This is not going to be like the last few intruders, who arrived and chose to betray their charge?"

"Yup!"

She lowered her head once more, looking at the group before her eyes settled on Priam. "This one…come here, little one." Priam shook his head, and the creature chuckled; a deep, resonant bass that was soothing and calming in some supernatural way. "Perhaps introductions are in order. I am Hualong, Herald of the Blossom Peaks. I am one of the Divine Beasts who rule as local administrators for The Cosmic System."

"I'm Jace," Jace stated as he sheathed his sword. "This is Ollie, my Wayfinder."

Other introductions were rapidly introduced, and when it got to Priam's turn, he mumbled his name out very quietly. Almost mouse-like in a squeak as he kept shaking in fear. Dee walked up to him and rubbed his shoulder, "It'll be fine. We aren't going flying any time soon."

Hualong laughed, "This one is afraid of heights? Ah, I see the problem." She blew on him, and from her mouth a stream of flower petals surged forth, wrapping around Priam. "I gift you the blessing of falling blossoms. If you find yourself falling, you will slow down and land gently. This can be dismissed if you wish."

Priam stopped shaking and bowed deeply, but his voice was still small and quiet. "Thank you, Herald of the Blossom Peaks."

Hualong raised her head and looked at the group, "This world is large, and fraught with peril. I sense one of you is strong enough to survive alone," she turned to Jace. "Which leads me to believe that you will be the one seeking to cull the excess creatures."

"That's right," Jace said. "Where should I start."

She walked over towards the cliff's edge, beckoning the group forward with a claw. She pointed down into the mists, "If you descend, you will find a whole world full of danger and filled with cultivators. Those who have amassed great power. None rise to the level of being considered a person, though some would be close to it. I only ask that your Wayfinder, Ollie, here, monitor the overall populace." She looked at Ollie, "Please place your paw on me. I will provide the local information regarding wildlife."

Ollie did so, and Jace saw several missions appear in his vision. Kill counts, effectively, for various creatures with names he couldn't even guess at pronouncing correctly. Jace looked back to his allies, "Well, I'll see you all later. Dark Energy Mine (Rank 1)." Jace manifested the dot on his chest and then flung himself off the edge of the high mountain.

Greg watched Jace go leaping over the edge, then turned to Hualong. "Where are these Delves containing this Anathema?"

She pointed to the floating islands, "You will find them scattered. Those landmasses move and travel, so I cannot pinpoint the exact locations for you. I know that The Arbiter's remaining items are his right eye and arm, his legs, his bo staff, and his straight sword." She looked at the trio, "You do not seem to have a means to fly."

Dee frowned, "Nope! No way to fly. But we have Boons."

Hualong nodded, "I will bless you both with same blessing of falling blossoms." She breathed her flower petal stream over Greg and Dee. "But flight itself I cannot do – and I dare not leave the portal."

"How come?" Priam asked, finding his voice again. "I thought that only Civilians and Aspirants or Ascendants could come and go from The Cosmic Corridor?"

"It is not a matter of preventing access to this world. Our power is now tied into The Cosmic System," Hualong stated. "We go too far, we die."

"Oh," Priam said. "Okay, well, we'll figure out our own way to fly."

Quinn's voice came over the comms, "Transferring Rare (Variable) Boon to Dee and converting to Equipment."

Dee cocked her head sideways and then clapped excitedly as her Wayfinder talked to her in her mind. "Oh! Perfect, let's do that." There was a shimmer of starlight-blue light, and then an enormous kite appeared on the ground. It looked quite sturdy, with spots for each of the three to stand. "It's called an Everfall Kite," Dee explained. "Greg on the center, Priam and I on the side-spots. And then we go!"

Greg cautiously stepped onto the huge kite, finding his spot on the central bamboo platform. Priam was to his left, and Dee hopped on to his right. "So how does this work?"

Dee pointed right in front of Greg, "There's a small, raised part. You put your front foot on that, and that's how you move it!"

Greg toed his foot forward and found the slight bump. "Oh, it's like the old laptop cursors built into the center of the keyboard. The old ones with covert ops data." He felt it move under his toe, and the kite began turning in place. "But how do we go up?"

Hualong laughed, "Just tell it to. I have not seen one of these fly in the skies for some time. Thankfully, aerial predators are rare. Just do not descend below the mist, and you should be safe from airborne attackers."

Greg nodded, "Okay…kite. Let's go!" It lifted off the ground and began ascending. Greg pushed forward slightly with his foot, and they went shooting off into the skies.