NOVEL NEXT 3.13: Too Long
On the second day after Invisibility was merged within Mimicry, Henry was about to check one more item out of his to-do list. Specifically, after having considered the combination for a few hours as he batted away at a school of purple crabs that wanted to clamber up the trees of Thalis, he decided to leave both Bite and Evershifting Strike untouched. The two skills were different enough, and had different enough uses that he genuinely felt he'd lose out if he'd altered any of them. Which meant he just had to let one of them take the center of the Aspect, and he'd be done.
Once his watch was over, and after dropping off Maurice to hangout with his new friends, Henry tuned out the sound and voices he could pick up from his different clones before he let his consciousness dip within as he sank below the rippling waters of his pool, and slowly, he narrowed his focus on the tension he could feel within a specific part of his soul. Where Predation of the Trickster was.
Within the Aspect, two skill-roots were jostling, each wanting to spread its influence within the Aspect and become its foundation, but with Henry actively suppressing them with the help of his Octominds, none were able to. Still, considering that Bite was higher level and it just was… bulkier, it could have won and taken control, if Henry would only let it.
Taking a moment to study the large skill, Henry quickly noticed the connection it had toward Maw of the Trickster and Voracious Grip, the two skills which he had gotten just by upgrading Bite and its previous Aspect.
Just like the connection between Partial Shapeshift and Mimicry. Or the connection between Inkjet and the clones, he noted. Which added a little complexity to the two remaining fusions, but nothing he wasn't ready for.
Henry put a pin in it and instead focused on the current task. Now that he could observe the process and now that he was convinced of his choice, Henry had relaxed his grip, and the process began.
They really are like roots, Henry thought as he sensed Bite spread out through Predation of the Trickster, resonating with it. While Predation gained a little of Bite and its hunger, the skill itself gained more weight. It wasn't about just devouring and incorporating the prey's strengths, anymore. There was something else in there. It was as if… with every prey that fell to his sharp, crushing beak, his existence at the top of the food chain was proclaimed. Every bone he shattered, every scale he tore into, was a hymn to a great predator.
Henry backed away from the powerful impressions he was getting and focused as the skill and the Aspect intertwined, resonating in his soul louder and louder, and then, after what felt like only seconds, the process slowed, and it came to an end. At least, the initial part of it. It was as if he just applied glue to two different pieces, and now he had to wait for the substance to dry out. Likewise, the Aspect and skill needed a resting period, so the connection was reinforced and stabilized.
That's one down, Henry thought with a smile. The whole process had lasted around twenty minutes, so he still felt fresh and without further ado, he started on the second task.
He'd be lying if he didn't say he was getting stir-crazy with all of this skill fusing stuff, but he was progressing, fixing and improving his foundation, and the sooner he was done, the faster he'd be able to get there and get back to hunting and leveling. Plus, once the fusions were done, he'd finally be able to push the new Aspects to B-rank, upgrading their cornerstones and opening up the way to B-rank.
Alright. Let's keep going, then.
After a quick heads-up to Maurice that he was going to be busy for a bit, Henry dove back within himself and this time, it was the shifting nature of life that filled his senses.
This will take a while.
***
At least a couple of hours later, Henry opened his eyes, the new combined skill pulsing deep in his soul as he completely and utterly relaxed all of his limbs. He stared up at the sky, no thoughts in his mind aside from the swaying canopy and the orange and blue-violet colors of dusk. He stared up, eyes vacant, too tired to listen or think of anything, and just floated within his own pool.
It could have been seconds or minutes later, but at some point, a voice reached his ears.
"Good job."
The voice made him twitch. He had quickly recognized who it was, though the tone was unfamiliar. Flicking his eyes to the right, he saw Arisia sitting at the edge of the pool, her feet gently paddling in the water.
Henry had rarely seen such a genuine smile on Arisia's face. He had almost asked her who she was and what she'd done with his instructor, but he refrained/
"Thanks," he said, waving an arm. He held off on loading the new definition of the cornerstone skill and instead, he focused on the guest who had apparently come to see him. Plus, if he were honest, he was too tired to deal with his interface at this moment.
He could manage talking for a few minutes. But not much else.
Arisia stared into the water, and Henry didn't know what to say at first, so he stayed quiet for a few moments, until a question trickled down to his barely functioning mind. Henry asked the question that had been bugging him for a while. If they were sitting around, he might as well get to know her a bit more.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
"How come you're still B-rank? If you don't mind me asking."
Arisia had been the one who'd taught Velistraine. From what Henry had learned, even though she looked like she was only in her sixties, she'd been around for at least a century, forming and teaching the talents of Thalis. So how come she was still B-rank and hadn't gotten to the next rank?
If there was one who could make the jump, it should be her.
Arisia looked up at the sky, leaning back as she stopped paddling her feet in the water. "A-rank… requires a certain temerity. A certain willingness to take risks. Unlike the ranks before it, you have to get out there and push yourself. Find the strongest of B-ranks, maybe even weaker A-ranks and test your mettle against them. Unlike attaining B-rank, A-rank cannot be reached passively. Even when there's a Wave, the ambient energies are never enough to push a B-rank to the next level. But that's not really why I never took that last step."
She looked at the stars, and her smile seemed to slip for a bit, though Henry didn't comment and just waited.
Arisia sighed, and looked down at the vein in her hand. "I don't want the longevity that comes with A-rank. I am… content. With my life. But I don't want to extend further than this."
Henry continued listening. Staying quiet.
"I've cremated my family. My boys and girls. Some of my grandchildren. If there's an afterlife out there, I'd like to see them there, someday. I'd like to see Zerathstra freed of his duties, if possible. No pressure on you, of course. I strongly believe that we'll soon find answers. That thing with the turtles and the orb is more than we have figured out in decades and I really hope we find answers, but if I'm being true to myself and what I feel… I do not want the longevity that comes with A-rank. It is… too much. Too long. And I'm too tired."
She fell silent once more, and Henry, having recovered from the mental exhaustion he'd been feeling, lifted himself out of the water.
"I'm sorry for your loss."
There wasn't much else to say, really. He now knew why she didn't want to take the final step and having seen Zerathstra and the responsibilities the ape had on his shoulders, he could empathize.
For him though? Henry didn't feel that passing on A-rank was really an option for him. At all. His goal of figuring out how he'd arrive in this world hinged on him attaining that rank, as well as his safety. If he wasn't A-rank, he could be crushed by one at any time. Plus, he wanted to know what happened after A-rank. Arisia and Zerathstra didn't really put that much pressure on him. At this point, he wanted the answer just as they did. It wasn't exactly a life goal for him as it was for them, but it was up there.
Arisia slowly got up, the smile back on her lips. "Anyway, congratulations. I came here to check on your progress and make sure you'll be ready for tomorrow."
Henry blinked. "Ready for what?"
"A banquet. Tomorrow might be the last peaceful day for a couple of weeks. A time to celebrate with friends and family. While we have started to see fighting, the worst of it is yet to come, and one never knows what can happen in such times. So make sure to get some rest and to get back to work. You need to have your fusions done tomorrow," she added, the familiar stern look in her eyes.
Henry instinctively straightened up, but then the woman's facade cracked and she chuckled, shaking her head. "Really, though. Good work. I have high hopes for you. But don't burn yourself out, okay? You don't have the responsibilities we do. So make sure you come to the banquet tomorrow. Live a little. Or I'll have Zer drag you there."
Henry chuckled and nodded, and with that, Arisia left, and he finally looked at his interface. Pulling up the updated cornerstone of Lifeweaving of the Trickster, Henry pulled a thread of healing and began channeling it into his brains and body.
His time was limited, and he had to recover before tackling the most challenging fusion yet.
Lifeshaper's Forms
Passives:
Faint Presence: When camouflaging, your mana and mental presence will be muffled.
Ingested Memory: Mimic some of the physical properties of recently ingested prey and recently sampled matter. Exotic anatomies can be understood better through consumption. Up to three mimicked properties can be remembered permanently. [Scales of the Serpent][Draining Touch of the Mesmer Eel]
Lifeblood Reserve: Your body continuously accumulates excess vitality, forming internal reserves of health and mana. While at rest or meditating, your natural regeneration accelerates, enriching the stored reserves further. When injured or depleted, you may automatically or manually draw upon this hidden well to restore yourself.
Actives:
Absolute Camouflage: Turn invisible or change your appearance through the mimicking property of your skin, taking the form, shape, color, and even mana signature of familiar lifeforms and objects.
Mimicking Shell: You can mana-weave familiar forms around your true body. The mana signature of the forms can be mimicked as well.
Lesser Shapeshift: Alter and reshape your physical form, molding one or multiple limbs into complex, adaptive structures. Well-practiced forms can be accessed swiftly. You may gradually adjust your overall size, mass, and proportions. The drawbacks of smaller forms are significantly reduced. Maximum Mass: 55,000 kg
Life Surge: Expend mana and Lifeblood to release a regenerative surge that restores health and purges ailments. It can be channeled to others with touch, and for a greater mana cost, the effect is greatly empowered.
Lifeblood Orb: Create a consumable and storable orb containing up to 50% of your own health and mana.