Leveling up the World

Chapter 971: Architect's Bonus

Maybe it was because his awakened abilities had improved, but Dallion could feel the emotions emanating in the room as if he had restored his music skills. The deputy marshal’s wife was emitting killing intent, ready to jump into action at the slightest provocation. Her son had lost any and all rebellious streams, feeling completely out of place and almost afraid of what might follow. As for Atol, the only thing that prevented her from outright running away was the knowledge that it wouldn’t do any good. And still, she was also pleased to finally meet other people from the awakened world.

“He isn’t from there, is he?” Dallion asked, looking at the teen.

“No. He shouldn’t have even been awakened, but apparently architects are considered special…” The woman glared at her son. “That’s why we don’t flaunt our powers.”

The deputy entered the room.

“I put Matt up in the guest room. Chances are he won’t remember much, but I appreciate some help in that area.” He turned to Atol. “My music skills aren’t as good as they were.”

“Of course.” Atol stiffened.

Even here on Earth, she still wasn’t sure how to address him, or Dallion, for that matter. Architects were the story of legends. Their existence was only known to a few high-positioned members of the Order of the Seven Moons. Atol had only learned about them due to the importance of her family. Back then, it was stressed that she wasn’t to mention it ever again. At the time, she’d even considered it a made-up story to increase the importance of the human race. Now, she wasn’t sure what to think.

“So, how’s the old place?” The deputy grabbed a bottle of beer and sat opposite Dallion. “A bit calmer, I hope?”

“I can’t tell,” Dallion replied. “A lot was destroyed in the conquest wars. Then we challenged the Moons…”

“Challenged the Moons?” the marshal burst out laughing. “You’re crazy, you know that? No one challenges the Moons.”

It was obvious why.

“We lost, but I was the last one standing.”

“That’s usually how it happens. What's the world's level now?”

“Four.” Dallion paused. “There haven’t been other architects after you. Other than me.” And he didn’t consider himself a full architect. In a one to one, there was every chance that the marshal would have kicked his ass. “Why are you hiding?”

“You saw what happens when we go public. There are thousands of awakened in the world right now. Dozens, maybe even hundreds, that have a skill or two that they remember.”

“You didn’t try to take over this world…”

“Old habits die hard. I don’t want to risk getting on Astreza’s radar. That’s not the issue.” The man took another gulp of his beer. “There are two main principles when it comes to awakened. One—they’re attracted to one another. Two, they fight when they meet one another.”

“That’s not—”

“True? You used combat splitting the moment you set eyes on my son. Your friend there has been using music skills non-stop. In a few futures, she resorted to crippling commands. The only reason she didn’t use them on you is because she can’t. Isn’t that right?”

That was a very cynical view, even for Dallion. There was no denying that many awakened strived to become King of the Hill, but there were even more than didn’t. Maybe things weren’t as great in the previous age as everyone claimed. The days of the eternal city were said to be peaceful and prosperous, but no one ever hinted as to what the world was prior to that. It was easy to talk after the world had been leveled up and all the scars of the past had been brushed away in another realm.

“Times change.” Dallion looked the previous architect in the eyes.

For several seconds, the man looked back, not budging a muscle. A total silence filled the room as everyone was wondering whether they’d resort to fighting or not.

“Maybe.” The deputy shrugged at last. “Either way, we don’t want to be part of that world again. Things are much better as they are.”

“You’ll have to teach your son how to remain hidden,” Dallion pressed on.

“Not anymore. You did that for me.” The man smirked. “Now that he’s seen what monsters there are in the world, he’ll make sure to keep his skills in check.”

Was that also part of the deputy’s plan? As someone capable of prophetic visions, it wasn’t beyond him to set up events for it to happen. He was just as manipulative as Simon and Jeremy.

“Did you ever think of going back?” Dallion asked.

“No.” The answer was swift.

“Even after changing the world?”

“An architect should never see what he’s created. If I was back there, I’d probably complain about the details and stop people from doing what I thought was wrong.” He finished his beer and tossed the bottle into the only bin in the room. “I have everything I want here.”

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“I see…” So much for that.

“His wife stayed behind,” Atol said. “That’s why he wants to go back.”

At the comment, the atmosphere suddenly changed. The fear and anger seemed to melt away, replaced by understanding. Every high-level awakened was familiar with loss: it was an obligatory part of achieving nobility.

“Kul, go to your room for a bit.” His mother said.

“But—” the boy began.

A single gesture from his father made it clear that it wasn’t a request. With overemphasized grumbling, the boy stood up and left the room. Half a minute later, the deputy went and closed the door.

“How did it happen?”

“No one told me that the Architects didn’t get to stay. I had already asked that my wife remain in the world, then…”

“Fucking Moons,” the woman hissed through gritted teeth. Clearly, her experience with them wasn’t particularly good, either. “Is that why you came here?”

Dallion nodded.

“You and Atol were the only awakened I found. The only ones that remember. I thought you might know a bit more than me.”

“I doubt it. As I said, I made sure to stay out of things. You’re not the first to have come here. She—” he nodded in Atol’s direction “—wasn’t the first, either. I made sure that they found nothing. You’re different, though. There are too many Moon strands in you to allow for an adequate prediction. I can see some elements, but not others. Just like a wildcard.”

A clairvoyant wildcard, Dallion thought. That was something that Adzorg would have enjoyed theorizing about.

“So, there are others,” he said.

“Of course there are. I just have no idea who or where they are.”

“Why?” Atol asked, unable to comprehend. “You said that you could see them. Why not track them down?”

“Because I didn’t want to. Didn’t want to get to know them, didn’t want to interfere, didn’t want to get involved one way or another. At best, we’d never see each other again. At worst, we’d try to kill each other. I didn’t think someone like you’d show up.”

The answer wasn’t what Dallion had hoped for. Suspecting several awakened, he had been so eager to get here in the hopes he’d learn everything that he was missing. It would have been too easy to find an answer right away, but at least he had hoped he’d get something. In different circumstances, maybe he would have enjoyed discussing what the awakened world was like and all the changes since the previous architect’s banishment. Right now, he felt as if he’d reached a door only to have it slam in his face.

“Sorry,” the deputy said.

“Is there even a way back?”

“Sure there is. The Moons took us there once. They can do it again. As for doing it on your own… who knows? You’re an architect, so that might make things possible. It’s not something I’d want to do.”

Of course you wouldn’t, Dallion thought. Jimmy had everything he wanted right here. He had managed to get the love of his life returned to the real world with her memories intact. From there, it must have been easy for the two of them to find each other and start a family. The two of them had led a normal life with no battles, no plotting, and no abuse of their powers. By the looks of it, the greatest challenge had been keeping their son from exposing his powers—which now they had managed thanks to Dallion.

“I’ll need your car,” Dallion stood up. “We’ll leave the keys at the marshal’s office.”

“I’ll come with you. We need to get the old guy back there.”

Dallion nodded.

“There’s one thing I can tell you, though. With or without memories, awakened usually retain a few of their skills. We’re different. As an architect, you have the potential of unlocking most of them. All you need to do is to find how to trigger a memory that would let them leak into this world.”

“Will that help me to go back?”

“Your guess is as good as mine. Skills work differently here. Either way, they’ll help you find people faster. Hopefully, that’s worth something.”

It wasn’t, but Dallion didn’t want to ruin the mood even more. Leaving Atol and Jimmy to deal with the marshal, he left the house.

Not a word was said the entire trip back to the city. As far as Matt was concerned, they had gone to the wrong house. Both the mother and the teen had ironclad alibis for the incident earlier that day, as well as the suspicious behavior of the boy.

Atol explained it away thanks to her music skills, suggesting that she had found a link leading to Los Angeles, where they would be heading next. The story sounded just plausible enough to be believed, and that was it. By nightfall, the entire event—along with Dallion and Atol’s visit to that part of the country—was completely forgotten.

“Will you be going back to teaching?” Dallion finally broke the silence as they neared the airport.

“Until something better comes up.” It was obvious that she didn’t appreciate Dallion’s chances, even if for some reason she remained determined to help him.

“Can you get the car there?” he asked. “This car.”

“Won’t be a problem. I’ll check the model and—”

“This car,” Dallion repeated with a note of power in his voice.

“Sure. Will be a bit more difficult, but I’ll get it there. It might take a few weeks, though. A lot of people will need convincing.”

“A few weeks is fine.”

There were no two ways about it—the trip had been a bust, yet at the same time it had opened Dallion’s eyes to a few truths. There were other awakened out there. To find them, though, he had to become stronger, which he intended to do. Just as otherworlders had no limiting restrictions in the awakened world, as an architect, he held the same bonus here as well. It was all a matter of training.

“Do you remember the awakening trials?” he asked all of a sudden.

Atol glanced at him, then focused on the road.

“A bit,” she replied, uncertain what he expected to hear.

“There’s always a way to complete them. The only way to fail was to give up.”

“So, finding the way back is another trial?”

“It’s a barrier. Giving up would mean my love for Eury wasn’t strong enough to begin with.”

“Hate to break it to you, but that’s only true in songs,” the woman said instinctively. “Though, who knows?” She quickly corrected herself. “We shouldn’t remember anything of that world, either.”

“If my love wasn’t strong enough, I couldn’t have made it all the way to the final gate. And if I can pass a gate without defeating my inner flaws, I can go through them back again.”

“I never was into that philosophical bullshit. But hey, as long as there’s a chance…”

“There’s always a chance. The secret is to prepare enough to make it a certainty.”