Rune Seeker

“Oh yeah,” Yanily said. “That’s the stuff.”

Wule had just finished his class evolution, the healer having emerged from a now six-sided lantern, three colors alternating between the panes. Vibrant orange, representing pure life. The familiar blue found in an Undead’s burning eyes and the tears running down their cheeks. Finally, an endless black, the nothingness of true death.

Behind Wule, one lantern of each color floated. Life and death over his shoulders, with undeath hovering between, behind his head.

“Can’t believe it took me that long to figure it out,” Wule said with a shake of his head.

“What changed?” Seena asked him as the gathered party members got closer again. Left, Right, Drahn, and Igwanda were all off keeping an eye out in case the evolutionary lightshow attracted any attention. They’d gone somewhere purposely out of the way – a large basement – but it was better to be safe than sorry.

“Well,” Wule said, holding up his hands. “Since we got our first advanced classes,” he pointed at himself and his brother, “I’ve been thinking there was life and unlife. The living and the undead. Two types of energy and healing – two sides of one coin – and I could do both. But, something about that just wasn’t sitting right with me. Like I was missing something really important. And that was keeping me from getting my next advanced class.”

Everybody looked at the third lantern.

“When Li’l Ur started talking about Death – capital D – as not just a Progenitor, but as a concept all unto herself, it got me thinking. What if there weren’t just two types of energy – two sides – but three? It was never a coin at all. It was a scale, with three measures instead of two. I wasn’t balanced because it wasn’t balanced.

“That realization led me down a new path of questions, and it wasn’t until I got… uh… contacted, that it all came together.”

“Contacted?” Seena asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Another sponsor,” Li’l Ur filled in. “Like you, he now has two.”

“Hold on,” Yanily said. “Are you saying Death – capital D – is your other sponsor?”

“She is,” Wule said.

“… is that good for your health?”

“Because I have The Eternal Spark balancing it, with the energy of undeath bridging the two, it’s not harmful.”

“No third, undead sponsor?” Hiral asked, eyeing Li’l Ur.

“Jealous?” the little lich asked him. “You’re the one holding out on being my apprentice.”

“Did you do something?” Seena asked the lich on her shoulder.

Li’l Ur shook his head. “No. As I said, I don’t have the power to be a sponsor at this time. Nor may I ever. I suspect it has more to do with the close ties he has with the Death Knight.”

That kind of made sense, since Wule’s first class evolution had come from his desire to save his brother from the Urn of Ur’Thul. Maybe it was even some of those energies getting mixed in with their class evolutions that’d led to this.

Huh, could the Urn be used in other ways to manipulate advanced classes? Ugh, and just how dangerous would that be? Would need to be preeeeeetty stupid to risk that.

“And your class is called…?” Ilrolik asked.

“I am now a Shepherd of the Crossroads,” Wule said.

“And you got an Aspect with the new class?” Seena said.

“I did,” Wule said. “Same duration and cooldown as your Aspect. Here, let me show you,” Wule said. Then, just like that, his body burst into what looked similar to flames. Except, these ‘flames’ gave off no heat, and were definitely not the right colors, each half of him burning something different.

Split perfectly down the middle, his left half ‘burned’ black, while his right burned a pure orange. And it wasn’t just that either, as Hiral looked closer. Wule’s body had become more… ethereal. Like it wasn’t just flames on him, but instead his entire body was now made of these two opposing concepts. He didn’t even have feet anymore, his legs ending around his shins, like he was wearing a robe of some kind that tapered off down there.

There was also one more important change – his eyes. They now burned undead-blue, with the common tears running down his cheeks.

“A Wraith,” Li’l Ur said. “Interesting.”

“Ur?” Seena asked.

“His new Aspect has taken the form of another Undead, a Wraith. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, as it’s a type that resides most closely to both life and death. It is a manifestation of a soul that holds on so dearly to life, even death can’t fully bring it across the threshold. Because of this, it’s similar to a Spectre in that its physical body is barely that. It’s truly insubstantial, and has tremendous difficulty interacting with the material world.

“On the other hand, its ability to touch the soul of another creature makes it incredibly dangerous. Also incredibly difficult to create.”

“Chilly, too,” Wule said, voice reverberating like his brother’s did, as if he were speaking down a long, metal hallway. “Wind goes right through me.”

“I can still punch you – and your bad jokes – even when you’re intangible,” Nivian said.

“You really think… ooooof,” Wule doubled over as his brother gave him a gentle backhand in the gut. “H-h-how?”

“Perks of being a Death Knight,” Nivian said.

“Good bonuses?” Hiral asked Wule while the twins glared at each other.

“Other than the fact I can’t hold a book,” Wule said. “Yes. Boosts any abilities that use life-enforced energy,” he pointed at the orange lantern over his right shoulder. “Death-enforced energy.” The black lantern over his right shoulder. “Or Undead-enforced energy.” Finally, he pointed at the blue lantern floating behind his head. “Since that’s pretty much everything I do, it’s amazing.”

“And that’s one more advanced class we’ve got on the team,” Seena said. “Almost there, people.”

Looking at the group, it was true. More than half the raid group had advanced classes now. Interestingly, it was only the Makers that had no racial representation in the advanced class department. Was there a reason for it? Something they needed to do differently to get one?

He hadn’t thought to ask around before he left the main camp, but had any Makers there gotten one yet? Something he’d have to check on when they returned if things didn’t change before they all reached level twenty.

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But, instead of dwelling on that for the moment, he opened a channel in the party chat. “The class evolution is done down here,” he said. “Any sign of Mecha-Armors making a beeline for us?”

“Looks clear on my end,” Drahn said.

“Nothing for me to shoot here,” Igwanda added.

“I didn’t see any Mecha-Armor coming in our direction,” Left said. “But, I did notice something out of the ordinary.”

“What?” Hiral asked.

“I spotted a patrolling G14NT in the distance, and it had four W45Ps accompanying it. Definitely accompanying it. I suspect it may be because we’ve passed the halfway point of the quest, and the patrol sizes have changed.”

“Then that last one we fought,” Seena said. “Where those four flyers showed up, that was just a prelude of things to come.”

“We handled it,” Loan said.

“We did,” Seena agreed. “Partly because the G14NT was already on its last legs. Taking on a fresh one – along with the flying support – from the start is going to be a bit tougher.”

“Sounds like we might need a new strategy,” Hiral said. “And this is as good a time as any to take a break and work one out. Unless anybody has any objections?”

“None here,” Nivian said.

“Or here,” Ilrolik added.

Seena bumped her shoulder gently against Hiral’s. “I agree with our wise raid leader,” she said.

“Then a short break it is,” Hiral said. “Left, think you can handle keeping an eye out up there since it seems quiet? Give the others a chance to come grab a quick bite to eat?”

Even as Hiral said it, Nivian was already getting his stew pot out of his Interspatial Ring. That man would not miss an opportunity to keep everybody well-fed.

“By the way,” Seena said as they joined the others gathering around Nivian and the soon-to-be meal. “How did you do with the Evolutionary Inspiration? Get anything good?”

“Honestly?” Hiral answered. “Something I’d pretty much forgotten I even have got upgraded. You know, one of those passives always working in the background, then you kind of take it for granted?”

“Not a build-defining passive then,” Yanily said, peeking past Seena on her other side.

“Not really,” Hiral said. “But I suspect it was always useful, even if I didn’t realize it.”

“You still haven’t said what it is,” Seena pointed out.

“Let me just share it with you.” Hiral chuckled, pulled up the notification window, then made it viewable by Seena and Yanily. The others weren’t really close enough – or interested enough – for him to share with them as well.

Class Modification: (Lost) Solar Drain+

(Lost) Solar Drain – Your abilities now also drain a small amount of solar energy and meaning when they do damage.

Note: Amount of solar energy and meaning drained based on Atn.

Note (2): Once sufficient meaning has been incorporated into user’s PIM, spontaneous ability evolution may occur.

“Ooookay,” Seena said slowly. “The solar energy part I get. What’s this about meaning?”

“I’m taking it to be – to mean,” Hiral chuckled again. “Some of how my target’s PIM or solar energy or whatever works. Basically, my PIM is ‘learning’ from things we fight. Haven’t you noticed how our PIMs are kind of evolving along with us?

“It wasn’t until D-Rank they could use items that boosted stats. Now, at B-Rank, we’re getting abilities like Is This How You Do It?.” And, just in case they didn’t remember which one he was talking about, Hiral quickly shared that ability window as well.

PIM Upgrade: Is This How You Do It?

PIM Upgrade: Is This How You Do It? – Defeating an opponent has a chance to teach your PIM a replicated version of an ability they used in combat.

Note: Power of replicated ability produced by Is This How You Do It? Is based on user PIM, not the original power of the opponent.

Note (2): Not every opponent has abilities that can be replicated.

Note (3): Only one instance of Is This How You Do It? can be activated per single opponent defeated, even if multiple people present have this ability.

“Which hasn’t happened yet,” Yanily pointed out. “This is our fifth trial, and nothing!”

“Ability doesn’t say how high the chance is,” Seena said. “Must not be very high.”

“Free abilities is a pretty powerful bonus,” Hiral said. “I’d be shocked if it could happen often.”

“Except yours seems to guarantee it?” Seena asked. “No, still says a chance. So, you could do all the work to hit things, and then still get nothing out of it.”

“I mean,” Hiral started. “I’m going to hit things pretty much regardless, so I’m not really going out of my way or anything…”

“Do you think the evolution will depend on the thing you’re fighting, or the ability you’re using?” Yanily asked. “I mean, you’ve been using your runes a lot

lately, with good reason, they’re very flashy…”

“Not the whole reason I’m using them…” Hiral mumbled.

“… so could you get a runevolution?” Yanily finished.

Despite the terrible naming – part of Hiral’s brain pointing out is sounded like something he would come up with – it was a good question.

“Probably based on the target,” Hiral said slowly. “Since my PIM would be learning from that. Though, to be fair, the PIMP also seems to be learning from my runes, so it could all be part of one big circle.”

“We’ll find out when it happens,” Seena said. “We’ve still got another, what, sixteen or seventeen Mecha-Armors to beat up. Sounds like plenty of stuff for you to hit.”

“There’s also sparring,” Nivian said without looking up from where he stirred the stew.

“That’s a really good point,” Hiral said. “When Yan and I linked up our PIMs against the old goat to reset Turn Back the Clock, an echo of it lingered in my own PIM, like it’d learned from the connection. Maybe that’s how this upgraded ability works? Basically builds abilities a little at a time through connecting with targets. Oh, I bet I could even make it better by using my Rune of Connection.”

Even as he said it, Hiral threaded solar energy through the rune on his neck, then added in a small dose of Increase, Unsealing, Attraction, Dreaming, and a tiny touch of Exchange. Topping it all off, he layered some Sealing in there as well, all with the concept of creating a stronger pull on the ability. Even as he did it, the black lines spread across his Coat of Amin Thett, and the room around them darkened.

Like before, the solar energy in his body turned chaotic, and he completely froze where he sat, while his work on the ability sputtered out.

“Hiral?” Seena asked, eyebrow raised while everybody else looked at the receding shadow.

Behind him, Right had practically appeared out of nowhere to put a hand on his back to save him from toppling over. He would have, too, with his entire focus once again forced on sorting out his solar energy.

“Sorry,” he said a few seconds later. “Seems I need to be careful with this Rune of Eclipse.”

“I thought you couldn’t use it yet,” Yanily said. “Something about it not being complete.”

“It’s not,” Hiral said. “But, it seems I can still tap into it – somehow – in its partial form. I did it against one of the W45Ps we fought, and just now, but there are some side-effects. Nothing serious, but also not something I want to happen again in the middle of a fight.”

“What were you trying to do?” Seena asked.

“Just use my runes to improve the new Solar Drain,” Hiral explained. “I didn’t expect the Rune of Eclipse to trigger, but I must’ve accidently tried to do something permanent or deeper. I’ll need to do some testing to see what triggers Eclipse and what doesn’t.”

“You need more Edicts,” Right said. “Then you won’t have to worry about any side-effects.”

“True,” Hiral said. “And you get access to more Meridian Lines.”

“I have no ulterior motives whatsoever,” Right replied, entirely unconvincingly. “Seriously, though. That Rune of Eclipse is too powerful to ignore – it’s like a force multiplier for your other runes and abilities – but too dangerous to use in a fight right now. If I wasn’t around last time…”

“But you were.”

“But if I wasn’t,” the double countered quickly. “It would’ve been bad.”

“It would’ve,” Hiral agreed, then felt a spike of danger from his side, and sloooowly turned his head to look at Seena. “But, he was there. So, totally fine!”

Almost surprisingly, instead of lecturing him on being reckless, Seena leaned in and gave him a small kiss. “You have some time while we’re taking a break, and while I was hoping we’d get some time together, it sounds like you have something you need to work on. Just understand, you’ll be making it up to me later.”

“Looking forward to it,” he said, giving her a quick return kiss of his own.

“And it better involve cheese, in case you didn’t clue in to that part,” Seena said flatly. “Some of that sour stuff, with the crackers that crunch. You know the ones I’m talking about.”

“I absolutely do,” Hiral said.

“Good,” she said, then added a dramatic sigh. “The things I do for you. The sacrifices I make.”

“Truly a kind and generous Mistress,” Li’l Ur said from her shoulder.

“Truly,” Hiral agreed. Then after one more smile between him and woman beside him, Hiral turned his attention inward, and got to work figuring out some of the rules to his newest rune.