NOVEL NEXT 1.71: Delayed
His steps echoed in the crystal-lit tunnel as he approached the cave monitor, and while he kept an eye on it, all of his attention was turned inwardly, toward the slowly growing pressure he could feel building up in his chest. Now that he'd approached this state so many times, Ethan realized that the first time might have not been the real deal. He didn't have the exact words for it, but if he were to compare it to anything, it might have been something like a partial combustion. Like a piece of fire log burning unevenly, with one side still water-logged from having been in the snow too long, and every other time since then, whenever he'd approached that state, it was as if he'd been working on creating the perfect temperature for igniting that piece of wood in his chest. Heating it, drying it, making sure it would burn evenly and quickly but again and again, he would fail for some reason or another. Either he'd get distracted, or for the longest time, he just didn't know how to get in the mindset and just… maintain it. Plus, on the first tries, he didn't know he had to have an actual obstacle ahead of him and who knew, maybe that was just a crutch and he was still learning. But on and on, he kept trying, and this time, he could feel it. He could feel that piece of wood slowly turn to coal. He could feel the concept, the idea of barreling through all obstacles douse that log of coal, priming it, and the only thing still missing was the spark.
When Ethan felt the tension refuse to rise any further, when he saw the crystal-studded lizard hiss at him and charge, when it felt like he wanted to set his own body ablaze, one word slipped past his lips. "Burn," he breathed, and the log within his chest.
The air shuddered around him while a wave of warm energy poured out of his chest and down into his limbs, sinking into his flesh and bones. In a way, it was reminiscent of Scorching Ascendancy's effect, but while the latter empowered his body and stats, and while this new force felt a bit more narrow-focused, it did still feel… versatile.
But that was one for another time. For now, he focused on maintaining his focus and just observing what was happening.
The new force wasn't just physical. It was doing something to his perception as well. As he gazed ahead, he only saw obstacles to be stepped through. It made Ethan think of an idiom. 'Think like a hammer and everything looks like a nail,' it said, and right now, everything looked like a nail to him.
This isn't like Scorching Ascendancy at all.
It had felt like the other side of the same coin at first, but the more time he spent in this state, the more it felt like he was still in the shallow end of the pool. There was more to this… but he couldn't dwell on that just yet and as much as he tried to ignore it, he couldn't stop himself from looking up, and seeing the dancing orange light reflecting on the ceiling, he wondered, completely ignoring the predator barreling at him.
Are my horns on fire?
He couldn't see them, but he could see the orange-reddish hues dancing upon the ceiling.
Alright, focus up, he told himself as the cave monitor leaped at him, trying to bring him to the ground, only to stumble back as Ethan continued walking forward. As if it had just put its front legs on a wall that had just kept moving.
With his palm out and his fingers straight, Ethan lunged forward right as the monitor opened its maw and shot a clump of crystal at him. The projectile clipped him on the left shoulder and exploded into a storm of shards, and a couple of sharp edges managed to cut into his scales, but no matter how powerful it might have been, the attack did nothing to his momentum. Any other time, it would have thrown him off balance or even pushed him back, but it seems like this state did not allow for such.
It's like I'm embodying a part of a juggernaut. I can't be stopped when I'm moving, but I still can be injured, he thought as he shoved his open palm in a stabbing motion toward the creature's neck. The black claws met the incredibly tough scales of the monitor, the same scales that had always given him such a hard time—and sank right through. Like a hot-knife through foam.
Blood spurted out from a cut artery. The monitor stumbled back, and feebly tried to snap its teeth around the retreating hand, but it missed. It kept backing away, surprised, but Ethan had no eyes for it and instead, he gazed upward, frowning. The horns had grown dimmer, and so did the sensation in his chest.
I'm using up something when I'm in this state? No… just standing around doesn't consume a lot of energy, but exercising the juggernaut-effect does.
Taking a quick look at his notifications, he noticed that nothing new had shown up. He had hoped this would have been a hidden quest like the stuff from before. But it didn't seem like it. He would have loved an explanations though. A bit of context about what this is. Though now that he was questioning it, Ember had said she would tell him.
Ethan's eyes had been moving about the interface as he continued walking toward the retreating and bleeding monitor, so he noticed it when his count of Essence ticking down.
Ethan stopped, surprised. "Wait…what?"
The monitor screeched, filling the tunnel with its strident call, and Ethan stepped forward as it tried and failed to turn around and run. All through that, he kept his eye on his Essence, and with a slash, he extended his claws and tore straight through the creature's neck, decapitating it, which resulted in about four Essence points being added, before one was subtracted a moment later.
Then the flames around his horns winked out, and the number of Essence stopped changing.
You have defeated [Cave Monitor (I) - Level 57]
Shardpurse: 89 fragments collected.
Ethan exhaled as the intense feeling left his spirit and a quick check of his interface told him his Essence was up to 53 points. Which was finally enough to unlock a new spellform slot in his Prime Arcanum. Still, he wondered what had happened…
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That stat seemed to generate Essence faster, but it's also using it. That's the only way the ticking up and down makes sense, Ethan thought as he cracked his neck and as he paid for the Spellform Capacity upgrade.
As the magic swirled about him, he looked through his interface. He'd be able to figure it out. He felt it might be easier to trigger the state from now on, but even though he tried to trigger it right this second, it wouldn't, which told him either he still needed an obstacle ahead of him, or it required some down time between uses.
Or both, he thought as he glanced back, only to find Ember staring at him, completely frozen. "What?"
The cat blinked at him. "[What do you mean what? What was that?]"
Ethan blinked at the cat and frowned. "The thing I've been working on? You were with me last time?"
The cat circled around his feet, slowly, as if he was some sort of mouse she was getting ready to pounce on.
"[It didn't look as intense back then… I guess it is what I thought it was,]" she said thoughtfully.
Ethan raised his brow. "It looked different? And what is it?"
Ember sat down on her haunches, but unlike other times where she'd lick her paws or do anything else while speaking with him, she kept still, her eyes fixed on him and in the dim light of the tunnel, they were almost glowing.
"[It feels as intense as the upgrade to tier-1. Like back in the cave, when you went on your vision. When you accessed this state the first time it did not feel as intense as this. You're sure you didn't get a spell or a trait for this?]"
Ethan shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. He felt a bit tired, all of a sudden. "No, I don't see anything new. Not even any hidden quests. I hoped I'd get some explanation or achievement for this, but it doesn't seem like it's gonna happen."
Ember narrowed her eyes. "[Right. The cheating quests.]"
"Hey, I told you," he said with a shrug. "It's not my fault the system's snubbed you. So? What is this? You said you'd tell me the last time. I just triggered it again."
Ember tilted her head for a moment, ears still flicking with annoyance at the injustice of quests and stepped past the monitor. Ethan followed and peered down around the corner. The tunnel was stretching down in the earth and as the cat whipped her tail left and right as they walked deep into the earth, she spoke.
"[I think it's your Zenith state. Your Prime manifestation. And if I'm right, then no wonder you're a little monster compared to the other humans.]"
Ethan walked behind her, brows furrowed. With them being in the cave and tracking enemies, he decided it was time to communicate quietly. "[Thanks, I guess?]"
Ember didn't react to his words. "[I mostly heard our elders speak of it. That state is the first key to reaching tier-3. It allows you to exert your path upon the world, and it means you are getting more aligned with your Path, and I don't think that's supposed to happen while you're still in tier-1. It's not supposed to happen within a week of you finding your Path. Even the two elders of my tribe have not managed it yet, or they'd be tier-3 by now.]"
Ethan listened, excitement welling in his chest. This sounded like a pretty great advantage to have, and though he was curious if he really was an exception and if there were more people gaining early access to this state, he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Ethan glanced down at his still blood soaked claws, then focused on his surroundings once more. They were still pursuing Edwin and his people, and he could think about all of this a little later.
No threads. No traps. Did they already leave?
Their steps echoed in the dimly lit tunnel, and further down, he could see a dark stretch that made his heart-rate pick up. If they were going to be ambushed, it'd be in such a—
Congratulations. Hidden quest: Achieve Prime Manifestation completed
One rift access token from a list of tailored options
Caution: Reward will be claimable after end of the current tutorial
Ethan stopped mid-step, frowning, and Ember's ears instantly flicked backward and crouched, ready to attack. When nothing happened, she spoke through their connection.
"[What is it?]"
Ethan was still staring at the prompt. The state had come and gone, and it's been like three or four minutes already. Why did it take so long for the notification to arrive? Every other time, the hidden quest notifications had been nearly instantaneous.
It's almost as if… the system had to come up with this, he thought. Then he spoke to Ember."[I got it. The hidden quest notification. For the Prime Manifestation.]"
The cat slowly turned around and looked up at him, eyes narrowed."[That's such… what did it give you?]"
"[Access to a special rift.]"
Ember growled in her throat. "[I'm right here with you... It's such drakeshit that I don't get these damn side quests and hidden quests—]"
Ethan grinned as the annoyed cat continued to grumble and shook his head. He wished he could digest all of this a bit more. To test it and learn more of the ability's limits and nature, but it was time to finish things up with his fellow humans. And considering how quiet and still the cat has gotten, he believed she sensed they were being watched as well.