Rise of the Omnimage

Sorin sat in the conference room looking at the notification he had recieved.

Congratulations

You have learned the skill

Minor Artificial Gravity resistance(p) - By being exposed to and absorbing an artificial gravity aether, you have begun to obtain a passive resistance to unnatural gravity aether exerted upon you.

Sorin closed the notification again. It made sense that it would be a form of gravity that could repel energy like that. There were a lot of questions such as how had others not found a way to bypass this or how many people walked gravity paths?

He was sure many people would walk the gravity path especially scientists who now would probably be some of the strongest aether users in existence with their knowledge provided they had the fortitude to push and risk their lives for progress.

The door opened. Reeger and Euryale walked in both looking extremely solemn. Sorin sat at the foot of the table with his back against the wall while Euryale took her usual spot at the head of the table.

"Reeger, could you actually give us a few moments to speak? I'm in no danger I believe." She said looking at Sorin with uncertainty on her face.

Sorin just nodded which was the signal that got Reeger moving. Once the door closed Euryale went to speak, but was cut off.

"Before you say anything I'd like to speak freely." Sorin said as Euryale closed her mouth.

"I think that's more than earned at this point." She said folding her hands in her lap.

"If there were any ideas of not keeping your word to me about helping me get home, I hope you have cast them far from you. I have now suffered and bled for you on the hope of your word being kept." Sorin said.

Euryale stood up and walked toward Sorin sitting on the side of the table diagonal from Sorin.

"Before you went into that, I mean everything I said to you and I will keep my word to the best of my ability." She said.

"What happened to the others?" Sorin asked.

Euryale's frown deepened into seething anger.

"They took the phony contracts." She said with disgust on her face.

"Now I wouldn't have been upset if they took the first two. As getting left alone by the empire or serving in the military of the empire are fine things, but they both chose the last one." She said.

Sorin shook his head. "The last contract did offer a lot of perks that every man would find enticing. Money, power, and women. One of which they've seen and enjoyed working for."

She looked at him narrowing her eyes and snapped.

"Why didn't you take it then?!"

Sorin looked at her and matched her glare.

"Euryale, you have nothing to offer me that my wife back home hasn't already given me. It's that simple."

She relaxed sitting back in her chair and thinking.

"I admire that level of devotion and loyalty Sorin. In fact one day, I hope my own husband will give me even a potion of that, but it's doubtful with how political marriages are." She said crossing her arms.

"Like I said, I will be keeping my word amongst other things. I plan to do for you for this. By you refusing to cave you have done a lot for my family and I. I have already send word home to my mother and father about the completion of this test. We were asked if we wanted the contract for Linx and Cain, but my father outright rejected them. They failed to keep their word and there are some families in this universe that do value one's word."

Sorin nodded.

"When is the next part of the exam?"

"Tomorrow." Euryale replied.

"It's a duel between the remaining Cadets where we have to win two duels out of three in order to pass."

"What happened to Aeon?" Sorin asked.

Euryale froze a moment looking at Sorin while thinking.

"He failed the exam after losing his whole team, but he has been extremely quiet. It is concerning now that you mention it." She said.

"If I were a betting man I'd say he will pay or coerce an official or get someone to make a blow fatal and get you killed or rig the battles so that you have no chance at passing. Their plans really do hinge upon you not making it. There is little chance they don't know I'm still alive now after going through the exam." Sorin said breathing out in the end.

Euryale smiled mischievously.

Sorin looked at her.

"I might have paid someone to leave the names off of the reports and only report a single conscript of mine made it through." She said.

"Well done madam. Good thinking. Now we certainly have the element of surprise. Do these duels have the requirement for a second?" Sorin asked

"They do. I was going to have Reeger do it as you are going to be recovering."

"I am recovered and that will not be required. I do have a plan." Sorin said with a grin.

- The day prior -

Linx and Cain sat at a table together. They had mixed emotions about what they had done.

They knew they had betrayed both Euryale and Sorin, but comforted themselves in the idea that they had to look out for themselves and what better way than to get riches, position, and a high ranking wife. It was the contract of a century.

The door opened and in walked the last people they expected to see. Euryale and Reeger.

She sat down with the grace of a noble woman and looked coldly at both of them.

"Sorin passed." She said.

Linx and Cain both looked at eachother beginning to sweat.

"I expected more from both of you. I am suprised and disappointed. I would have honored my word to each of you, but you have have broken your own to me."

There was not a trace of the woman they had come to know. She was now cold and indifferent.

"Your conscription will be given over to the mines and far away from my family and I. Should you seek redemption, it can be given after the end of your conscription." She said.

"I'm sorry my lady!" Linx exclaimed.

She just put a hand up. "You were warned. I was there when Sorin specifically warned that each offer was most likely fake and it was. I had hoped neither of you would take them, but never in worst nightmares did I think you would choose the third offer. The first or second? I would have understood."

She got up from the table. "Good luck."