January 17th, 2022
***
"Got a lighter?"
"Here."
Drek lit the end of a cigarette and breathed in, savoring the unique vanilla infusion. His legs were dangling off the edge of his favorite flying device - a transporter. A thin metal disc originally meant for moving cargo.
The tech became popular among Hounds, Bounty Hunters, and other independent parties for its versatility. A little ingenuity led to discovering that one could fly with it. But the steep learning curve and techniques required limited the number of people who used them. Those who mastered it gained access to flight, albeit limited. And the power to fly was invaluable.
"These aren't half bad."
Stel watched him take another drag of the cigarette. The two were camping several thousand feet above the Pacific Ocean off the eastern coast of Japan. They'd assembled their usual: a floating platform, two tents, and a mana-powered stovetop. Each had their weight in rations stored away in dimensional space. Missions like these could take weeks, and that's how long they were prepared to wait.
"How long do you think it'll take?"
Drek exhaled, watching the smoke crystalize mid-air. "Damn if I know, but Richter is competent. He'll find a way to level up fast. Just be ready to move when that happens."
And not a moment later did a tremor shake the Earth, with an extended rumbling and grinding as tectonic plates pressed together. The cigarette slipped from his mouth. The ambient mana was increasing, but it shouldn't be. It was too soon.
"Shit. Pack up!"
A chime played in their heads. One ring - an indicator that the scroll had been torn.
They stored the last item right as a swell of mana enveloped them, and both men were swallowed by a portal that appeared for the briefest fractions of time.
They didn't get to see it, but far below - where the ocean swelled - a landmass was forming in the North Pacific — one roughly half the size of South America and teeming with life. Bestial cries echoed through the silence, serving as a challenge and a warning to those who'd seek out the island's inhabitants.
***
Drek and Stel stumbled through the other side, shaking off the vertigo as they looked around.
"Richter! You did it. That was fast. Are you re-"
Drek grabbed Stel's arm and pulled him back. Something felt off, he just couldn't put his finger on it.
"Drek and Stel...Yes, That's right."
It was such an apathetic gaze. Richter's eyes roved over them one at a time, sizing them up like objects. Stel looked at his brother for answers. Drek was looking for some too.
"Use the identification scroll."
Stel unfurled the yellow parchment and spoke the phrase to activate it. No response.
"Try again Stel."
Drek squinted, pulling out a wooden sword covered in patterns.
"I-Identify!"
Richter was unbothered by their actions. He analyzed them meticulously, weighing pros and cons in his head.
"Shit, it's a Trickster." Drek bit his finger, letting the blood drip across the runes. They lit up in response - pulsing and humming - greedy for more.
Stel had his own combat preparations. Yet the moment they expected never came. No transformation.
Either one of them was a fantastic target in the high fifties. With their level of strength, the Trickster could have made a solid attempt to eradicate Earth. So why...
'Richter' shook his head with a satisfied smile.
"Not better."
The insinuations froze Drek's train of thought, though Stel wasn't catching on. And neither could react to a second chime in their heads. Another gulp of mana and a flash of a portal whisked them away, leaving the monster in human skin alone. 'Richter' was nearing his destination.
That of a certain Toyota Yaris.
***
Drek and Stel tumbled to the ground, sick to their stomachs. Two portals back to back were a lot to handle.
"You two alright?"
They scrambled to their feet, eyeing Richter sitting on a chunk of marble with his katana across his lap. He slid a sharpener across the edge, maintaining the blade.
"Identify."
The scroll disintegrated, pouring information into Stel's head. Drek heaved a sigh of relief.
"Yeah. We're fine. Didn't expect to encounter your twin."
Richter leaned forward, deadly serious, "Did you kill him?
Drek shook his head.
"Shit. That would have been a nice present. Why not? Surely you had some way of knowing it wasn't the real me."
Drek and Stel shared an awkward look. Stel spoke in a low murmur, "We did, but...we still couldn't kill him. If the real you was dead, then we'd have to deliver the copy instead. I know that sounds screwed up, but Tricksters have high intelligence when transformed. It'd be good enough for our purposes as Mailmen."
Drek waved away any complaints with his hands. "It is what it is. Now Stel, tell me his subclass."
"Um, he doesn't have one. But he did reach level twenty-five."
The veins in his forehead bulged. "So we wasted a scroll?" Drek marched over to Richter.
"You were supposed to rip it after choosing your subclass, not before."
Richter kept sharpening his blade. "Oops." He looked up, meeting Drek's gaze. A look that reminded Drek of what the Trickster said.
"Fine, just open your status and get it over with."
"Status."
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[Name: Richter Maier || Mana: 100%/100% || Level 25: 0% XP || Unused Attribute Points: 3]
[Class: Swordsman (intrinsic)]
[Subclass available. Click to view.]
[Attributes: Strength: 25 || Agility: 28 || Constitution: 18 || Magic: 47 || Intelligence 14]
[Abilities: Transcendent Bloodlust (innate), Transcendent Sense (innate), Swordsman's Tenacity (passive), Swordsman's Agility (passive) || Skills: Sunder, Harden]
[79 Copper || 0 Healing Potions || 0 Mana Potions]
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He tapped on the prompt, opening a new screen entirely.
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[Subclass Selection: Choose from the recommended list, or say the name of a known subclass to search it from the catalog.]
Recommended Subclass(es):
[Alchemist] - Become a master of nature. Train precise mana control to bend nature to your will, concocting miraculous potions. Alchemists are given knowledge of common fauna across the universe, as well as a furnace and starter recipes. Potions can accomplish a variety of effects, from temporary buffs to small permanent attribute increases. Uncommon fauna and additional recipes must be researched or bought.
[Dueler] - embody the spirit of a showman. Chase fame, fortune, and glory till your name is common knowledge. Gain a stacking bonus to attributes for each duel won. Duels must be formal fights in qualifying arenas. Losing a duel will reset the bonus. A duel must also be fought every seven days or the bonus will reset.
[Instructor] - Inspire the next generation. Use your insight into others to correct their mistakes and push them beyond limits. Gain enhanced insight useful for teaching. Instructors gain temporary access to their students' Skills during qualifying 'training' periods. Gain small permanent attribute increases based on the improvement of the student(s). Starter Instructors can only designate three individuals as 'students' at a time. Cultivate their prowess to raise this limit.
[Subjugator (Secret)] - When Hell breaks loose, you are the one they call. Gain a temporary bonus to attributes when fighting an existence at least three levels above your own. The higher the difference, the higher the bonus. Successfully killing qualifying targets has a chance to grant permanent attributes. Chance is guaranteed at ten levels or above.
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And there were several more that he skimmed through. Richter's recommended list was comically long. But the first four drew his interest the most. He let out a low whistle.
"Subjugator sounds pretty neat. But so many choices..."
Drek perked up, betraying his interest. "You have Subjugator as an option? Stel tugged at his jacket, trying to reign him in.
"Yeah. I think I'll choose something else though. Dueler is calling my name."
Stel tugged harder, but Drek just shot him a look to stay out of it. He spoke up, offering some insight.
"Dueler is among the most commonly picked subclasses. It's very useful, very competitive, and you can make a lot of enemies from it."
Richter grinned and double-tapped the screen. "Sore losers are everywhere. They'll get over it."
His status updated with his subclass and a surprise notification.
[Congratulations! You are among the first thousand to acquire a subclass from your planet.]
[+3 unused attribute points.]
"I'm done."
The brothers nodded in unison.
"Congrats Richter, you are no longer a fledging. You're a beginner."
"Is that just to patronize me?"
"No, it means the training wheels are gone. Haven't you noticed anything different?"
Richter examined his body inside and out, but he couldn't find anything new.
"No?"
"Ahh...Nevermind."
Drek pulled out his communicator and speed-dialed Clare. She popped up on the projection, lounging in a kitchen. She looked annoyed.
"What is it now?"
"We're done here. Activate the portal, we'll be there as soon as we go through security."
"That was fast, but alright. I'll get it done."
Drek threw the phone into a tear in space - a sight that still fascinated Richter - and beckoned him over. Stel fished out a stamped scroll in the meantime.
"What now?"
Drek sighed heavily, looking more worn than he had all week.
"We take you to our Father."
The three huddled together as Stel ripped another scroll. This one was slower, amassing an incredible amount of mana for the distance needed. Stel was the opposite: relaxed and relieved.
"Let's go home, Stel."
The three disappeared in a flicker of light, leaving Earth behind.
***