Unchosen Champion

Coop startled himself awake. He had been completely enveloped in cozy fabrics, peaceful and comfortable, but he sat straight up as soon as he roused himself. The feeling that he had let his guard down was like a ringing alarm clock. His sudden movement removed the draping covers that blanketed his limbs and he unceremoniously tossed sheets to the side, exposing his skin to the tranquil morning air. It was refreshingly cool, especially compared to the pocket of heat his body had generated during his unintended hibernation.

The dimly lit surroundings were familiar, yet strangely unfamiliar, and it took several moments of wide-eyed scanning before his sleep deprived mind recognized his location. It had been far too long since he slept in an actual bed with a roof above his head. Morning sunlight trickled in from the uppermost floors, as his comprehension slowly played catch up.

Instead of the rainforest echoing with the sounds of wildlife hidden throughout, he could hear gentle waves lapping on a sandy shore. Sandpipers and seagulls called to each other while palm fronds rustled in the ocean breeze. A mourning dove cooed, letting its song gradually fade into the ambience, and harbor bells tolled in the distance. Coop smiled to himself as he remembered he was already back home. It had been late in the night when he arrived in Ghost Reef, but he’d made it back in time to fall into a well-deserved deep sleep.

Jett emerged from where she was buried by the piled sheets that he’d abruptly thrown off, squirming her way to freedom before she curled back into a ball of fur, flopping against Coop’s vacated pillow, irritated that he had woken her too early in the day. She resumed her bid to rest after giving Coop an agitated side-eye for disturbing her peaceful slumber. Coop apologetically rubbed her forehead, forcing her to squeeze her eyes shut.

A little black ribbon was tied into a bow and rested behind the lighthouse cat’s shoulders, decorating her dark fur with a fashionable flourish of fabric. A shiny black gemstone, the professionally refined Eye of Shadow, decorated the center of the adornment. Apparently, her new unique item was similar to Coop’s custom equipment in that it wasn’t exactly armor, and it was flexible. More importantly, the bonuses were equally potent. She wore it to her preference, either as a black bow, a decorative collar, or a ribbon on her tail, depending on what she was up to. She seemed satisfied with the crafted gift, perhaps accepting it as an apology for Coop’s trips abroad and the extra time he spent with Felix.

Coop shifted to the side of the bed and scratched at his own arm before stretching, falling into an easy routine that helped get on with the day. He had no idea why the newly formed limb itched so much, but Madison had assured him that the feeling was completely normal. She suggested that he think of the irritation as his body running diagnostics on the regrown parts. He wasn’t sure how she could be so confident in what was normal and what wasn’t, given the magic employed in her treatment. No matter how much experience she had, there was no way she had grown limbs from scratch before mana had activated on Earth.

As he worked his newly corporeal fingers, massaging them with his other hand, he could accept that it was good as new, even if it was a bit uncomfortable. There was no disparaging Madison’s skill, whether it was magic enhanced by experience or some other combination of factors, she was something special. The truth was in the results. He clenched his fist, flexing his forearm, forcing the sleep inertia out of his muscles, and found no room to complain. His new arm was in perfect condition.

The exhaustion that had smothered him by the end of his adventure in the Yucatan hadn’t quite subsided, even after sleeping in his own bed. He yawned before bouncing to his feet, rubbing the blurriness from his eyes with the heels of his palms. He had already used up his entire allotted rest time, but it was woefully inadequate. It would take a month of relaxation to make up for the fatigue that had accumulated during the extended campaign through the rainforests. Coop jogged down the spiraling stairs until he reached the ground floor of the lighthouse, attempting to stave off his lethargy with some energetic movement.

“Time to get the mists flowing.” He murmured with a husky morning voice, remembering how his last skill, Infusion, had both changed him and completed the Path of the Mistwalker. He was pretty sure he still had blood in his veins, but he doubted he’d ever see himself bleed so long as his protective mists had any resources left in reserve, and that was assuming his layered defenses failed to shield him from injuries.

Sunny was impatiently waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs, happiest of all that they were back on Ghost Reef. The retriever was bouncing on his front paws, alternating back and forth as he listened to Coop’s footsteps draw nearer and nearer, adding his own tippy taps to the normally quiet chambers. The bustle alerted the spectral bird that nested all the way up in the lightroom, and some curious chirps were added to growing commotion. Poor Jett had enjoyed peace and quiet in the lighthouse for long enough. The rest of the lighthouse residents were already conspiring against her.

Like Jett, Sunny also had his own new unique equipment. His was a red collar that was nestled in his golden fur, giving off a subtle fiery illumination thanks to the Splinter of Ashen Legacy’s influence. Where Jett’s was able to be manipulated by the cat’s wishes, Sunny’s was a fixed accoutrement that significantly enhanced his capacity to draw on his powers. The Herald of Dawn had a magical focus more similar to Jones’s Bloodstone Cane than to Coop’s Under Armor and Jett’s Ribbon of Shadow. Sunny had already proudly demonstrated the efficacy of his new equipment when delivering the crippling blow to the Empowered Bone Titan back in the Yucatan settlement.

Coop rubbed the dog behind his ears before opening the front door of the lighthouse. The blissful vistas of the tropical beaches greeted them both. A pair of pelicans swooped along the coast, diving into the shallow water with identical splashes while Coop took a deep revitalizing breath. He enjoyed the ocean breeze and tropical sun as much as physically possible, doing his best to draw the serenity into his being. It was good to be home.

Unfortunately, there was barely any time to properly relax, no matter how desperately he yearned to sit in the sand and watch the birds enjoy the morning breeze. The days spent lounging on the pristine beaches or within the flourishing settlement, savoring meals and drinks, had already passed them by. Instead, the responsibilities brought by the assimilation were a constant demand.

A bit more than a week lay between them and the next settlement event. While he was busy hiking through the Central American jungles on the hunt for the Cult of Chakyum, Ghost Reef had been developing on its own. The settlement, like the residents, had grown up to become independently successful, using the momentum from all of the early contributions to keep advancing. It had been quite some time since Ghost Reef needed his constant supervision.

On the other hand, it had only been three days since he defeated the Lich, but similar preparations that looked toward the long term future were already being made in the Yucatan while he was being sent home. Coop left the region in the capable hands of some of his most trusted advisors and the locals that had been there since the beginning. Sunny was one of the few residents that could comfortably keep up while Coop returned to Corozal to take the first boat back to his island, so the pair of them were the first to return.

The retriever blasted through the underbrush, like a wolf on the hunt, enjoying the chase, while Coop teleported above the canopy. The other residents of Ghost Reef remained behind, taking the return trip more leisurely than the Champion, and would use the extra time to better organize the region. The Primal Constructs would meet the veterans of Ghost Reef before they had a chance to take advantage of the lost settlement’s retracted territory.

The Jaguar Sun was offered a place within Ghost Reef’s growing network. However, since the Yucatan settlement’s civilization shard had been destroyed, they needed a new option for their home base. They didn’t necessarily want to impose on the profession masters of Corozal. Adding hundreds of thousands of people to the sleepy town would certainly be a shock, and since the Jaguar Sun was actually composed of numerous groups and even more independent individuals, it didn’t seem like they would all move to a single place anyway. They already had homes and people hiding out that they wanted to get back to.

Luckily, Ghost Reef had access to Mana Pylons. Like Florida, Central America would end up covered in them as time went on. Ghost Reef would be dumping mana into building as many of the tiny territory spreaders as possible. Official outposts would be popping up from Cancun to Chiapas, Costa Rica, and everywhere in between.

The main complication, outside of the normal problems caused by the assimilation, was that tens of millions of the necromancer’s minions continued to roam the region, radiating from the ruins of the lost settlement in Guatemala. The Lich had reanimated countless dead that, without a leader, were no better than the most basic Primal Constructs.

Tzultacaj was committed to continuing his hunt, and he wasn’t alone in his pledge, but many just wanted to finally enjoy relative peace without the Cult breathing down their necks. They had the option to find a place within Ghost Reef, Coop and the others were always open to welcoming new faces, but most had already staked claims while forming their resistance, and they intended to properly secure those villages now that the option was available.

Shane had his hands full. He and his party had barely finished organizing the residents of Neptune’s Bridge into a firm defense against the Primal Constructs around the Orlando settlement. They sailed back to Ghost Reef in time to be conscripted by Madison for her expedition to Central America. Now, he and Arthur were coordinating with Juliana and Mateo to establish a plan for the Jaguar Sun to secure thousands of square miles of untamed wilderness while forging permanent connections so that even the most isolated groups would be linked to the rest. The survivors of Central America were united by their victory and wouldn’t let themselves be fractured again, but the sheer scale of the undertaking would be a challenge in itself.

After Sierra was healed by Madison, the Cloud Dancer was in a hurry to return to the fight. She shared the fate of the Yucatan and the role that Coop had taken in the resistance in a bid to be sent back right away, even before she was completely patched up. Madison gathered the information, and knowing that war was on the horizon, took action. The healer gathered nearly 5,000 residents to join the reinforcement effort. Instead of sending the lone Jaguar Sun Elite back by herself, they brought an entire fighting army to back her up.

Coop concluded that Ghost Reef was continuing to evolve, now with the ability to project force beyond their own territory beyond what Coop could bring to the table by himself.

Most of the soldiers were those that had been rescued from the cruise ship less than two months prior. They had gone from an average level of 20, disengaged from the assimilation, to an average level of 90, actively prepared to fight for their survival. Training with the phantoms and exploring opportunities to gain experience across the islands through the Adventurer’s Guild had given them both the skills and confidence to chip in. The nurturing framework of Ghost Reef was proving its potency. Like those who had come before, they were motivated to grow so that they could more effectively contribute to the settlement.

They were led by more experienced residents, the same ones that had been taken under the wing of the original additions to Ghost Reef, as if generations of residents were forming one month at a time. They loaded themselves onto the Navy’s newest fleet of ships, organized by the homebound Sharkbait, with crews of phantom pirates and ex-Sapphire Armada sailors, and arrived in Corozal while Coop and the Jaguar Sun entered the Lacandon Jungle.

Between Sierra and the scouting party that included both Amanda and Dan that Coop had left behind, the residents of Ghost Reef were able to navigate a straight line to the settlement, arriving just in time for the conclusion of the battle. It would be a number of days before they returned home, but the experience had been invaluable, and more importantly, they had saved many lives on the side of the Jaguar Sun.

Jones was one of the few who stayed home, making sure the settlement maintained some human leadership with all the phantoms protecting the island. He was there to welcome Coop and Sunny home when they arrived late into the night.

The contracted residents, like Balor and Garod, had returned to work while Coop wandered through the Yucatan’s rainforests, relieving the humans who had taken their places in their workshops. The aliens had made their decisions and waited for Coop’s return, working twice as hard to make up for the time spent elsewhere. Madison and the others that had reinforced the Jaguar Sun sent Coop back first so that he could hear the aliens out.

Balor would be meeting with Coop in the afternoon, but Coop wasn’t looking forward to reuniting with his first alien friend. He fully expected it to be a difficult conversation, where the aliens confirmed that they would be returning to the galactic community before the Eradication Protocol initiated.

Coop had already decided that they would squeeze in a celebration for the alien residents, no matter how busy the assimilation made them. The aliens had made major contributions to the development of Ghost Reef, and deserved to be sent off knowing that they were appreciated. Coop wanted to make sure they understood that there were no hard feelings from his side and ensure that he would find ways to reconnect with them when Earth joined the galactic community. He tried to focus on the positives, and one of the big ones was that Earth would have a handful of trustworthy allies spread throughout the universe, even if they were factionless individuals. In the meantime, he would be putting them to work to make up for their anticipated absence. He had plenty of materials to keep the crafters busy.

Coop solidified his resolve in preparation for the meeting. He was on his way to have a relatively leisurely breakfast with Jones so that they could catch each other up until the allotted time.

The old caretaker waited for him in the middle of the gate, taking a familiar position as the welcoming committee for a drastically different fort compared to the crumbling ruins it had been before mana activated. Instead of entering the fort through the small single person door, the main gate was open, wide enough to receive a parade.

“Welcome back, Coop. Did you rest well?” Jones wondered, smiling with a wily gleam in his eye. Coop paid the look no mind, just feeling glad to be back.

“Feel like I coulda used another few days of sleep, honestly.” Coop confessed as he entered the gate of the fort, voice still more gravelly than normal.

Coop was caught by surprise as he followed Jones onto the main road and crossed the threshold into the city, obviously letting his guard down thanks to finally being home. A woosh of air followed Camila as she ambushed him with an abrupt burst of speed, utilizing her newly crafted bracers, and trapped him in an embrace from the side. The Raptorial Claw of Blinding Speed lived up to its name, even as a component for her custom equipment. For all of his own Agility he couldn’t react faster than the Interceptor, though he was plenty strong to keep from stumbling. Somehow, she seemed even happier to be back in Ghost Reef than he did.

The girls had waited out of sight while Jones baited Coop into the fort. Coop laughed when Charlie was forced to hug Sunny as his tail beat the air; the retriever absolutely refused to be left out of the reunion, leaping into action with his unmatched enthusiasm. They were all glad to be back.

“You guys made it back before me, huh?” Coop happily greeted the girls, following Jones as he led the way toward the center of Ghost Reef, feeling relieved that things appeared to have worked out for them as well.

The expedition to Neon Park returned after Madison’s expedition had already left the island, with Admiral Kayla leading the Eye of the Storm, Sea Burial, and Fearless back home from the northeast. They found a surprisingly empty settlement waiting for them, but Jones and the contracted residents were there to catch them up over the last few days.

“We had to sneak out of Neon Park in the middle of the night.” Camila admitted as they walked together down the main road of the settlement toward the Clumsy Shark. “My grandmother was having us watched.” She added under her breath, obviously irritated by the treatment of an overprotective family. The way she said it gave Coop the impression that merely calling it overprotective might actually be underselling it.

“She was just looking out for us.” Charlie interjected, trying to prevent Coop from getting the wrong idea about Camila’s relatives, though his two friends seemed to have a rare difference of opinion on the subject. “They were all her family members that wanted to spend time with the long lost golden child.” Charlie added with a teasing smirk toward her friend.

Camila rolled her eyes in response, leaning over to Coop. “She’s become my grandmother’s favorite.” She clarified. “Goody two-shoes.”

“Makes sense.” Coop accepted, unable to imagine Charlie not being anyone’s favorite. The playful comment was enough to prevent Coop from worrying too much. Whatever Camila’s relationship with the rest of her family was, she gave him the impression that he didn’t need to default towards hostility on her behalf. Either she would handle it or it wasn’t that bad.

“What happened to Marcus?” He asked as he observed the tower that had been completed on the opposite side of the canal. It practically hovered off the ground, anchored only by a few columns around its perimeter, leaving room for residents to walk beneath the construction in the center of the northern circle.

Evidently, Balor had finished his most recent project, and it had resulted in a spire that rose beyond the rest of the buildings in the settlement, directly above the previous chasm that had formed on the northern half of the courtyard. It mirrored the location of the civilization shard. The surface of the chasm was covered, but he knew there was a deep enough space underneath the road that he would probably avoid standing on it if he could. The surface shimmered in a way that gave Coop the impression it was something like an illusion. Complicated runes that reminded Coop of Madison’s ritual chamber were engraved in the exposed bottom of the dark stone tower, though they were inert at the moment. It was clear that the structure was more than just another stone monument.

“Marcus wants you to meet him in the Heartland Settlement exactly 20 days after the settlement event ends.” Charlie answered Coop’s question before he grew too distracted, tilting his head back and squinting at the upper most tip of the cylindrical tower. It was pretty tall. “At least, that’s the date that Neon Park decided to relay to the Heartland Settlement before the event began.” Charlie added dubiously. “The leaders are already posturing for potential negotiations, and Marcus is doing his part by having you back him up.”

Coop frowned as the response sunk in. Marcus hadn’t returned and he had given Coop another task to add to his schedule. He shifted the tower from his attention to turn back to Charlie. “Where is that? And aren’t we getting ahead of ourselves? We all have to survive first, right?”

“Western portion of Kansas.” Camila answered informally, then when Coop turned his head and just looked at her with even more confusion, she pointed vaguely northwest, beyond the wall that had a family of burrowing owls living at the top. “That way. On the other side of the Fallen Zone.” She added, not really helping with Coop’s general confusion.

Charlie quickly clarified. “That’s what they are calling the dangerous area that’s threatening Neptune’s Bridge from the North. The Primal Constructs are particularly strong up there. Neon Park had someone scout across most of North America, and apparently, the Fallen Zone spread all the way across the South from the East Coast through what used to be Texas. The Pacific Republic wants to clear it and invited them to help.” She explained before Coop could ask another half dozen questions. “We brushed up against the edge while sailing along the coast.”

“Any quests pop up? He wondered, but the girls shook their heads.

Coop sighed. “Gibson already told me about a potential formation to the south of Neptune’s Bridge. He suspected it was a Hive since it had transformed into a quest area. I’m gonna go deal with that before the event starts, but, man, it seems like that settlement really was kinda cursed.” He concluded. The bridge settlement had Primal Construct bases on all sides.

Charlie and Camila both nodded, remembering their experience in Neptune’s Bridge, and tacitly approving of sending Coop to help, but he wasn’t satisfied with his itinerary. It seemed like a lot of different events were lining up one after the other. Coop expected to be busy.