Seras Streams
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Chapter 69 – Black Holes everywhere!
🕑 Added 2024-11-02 01:28:19 +0000 UTCJace kept sprinting at top speed as the terrain began to shift gradually between the plateau and lake region he started to enter. The hard, cracked ground under his feet gave way to softer soil and pools of water. Thanks to his eyes and his enhanced perception, he was able to dodge the deeper pools with ease.
Ollie was tucked inside his hood as usual, and Priam had put Bloopa under his hat. Apparently, the Wayfinder could communicate with Priam through the hat – somehow. Jace had no clue how it worked. But they both knew that keeping their Wayfinders hidden would be the best way to traverse the terrain without any issues.
Jace skidded to a stop as he began to approach an enormous lake. Something is wrong. He could see the characteristic sparkle of Skills – or magic – on the surface of the lake. He could see the same sparkles in an aura around the perimeter of the water’s edge. “There’s twelve Skills active,” Jace whispered as he pointed each out to Priam. “Probably twelve Aspirants. Dark Matter Cloak (Rank 3) [Group].” The two vanished.
“What do we do? What do you want me to do?” Priam asked.
“Keep shields active.”
“Right! Pulsar Ward (Rank 20) [Multi-Target].” Jace saw the honeycomb-gold structure appear around him.
“If we run off, they’ll chase. And I doubt they’d catch us…but I don’t like the idea of being hunted,” Jace said.
“And,” Olie added, “Double-A could probably teleport them around Nihilethelea. Better to take them on, now.”
Jace nodded and drew his sword. “Dark Matter Blade (Rank 5) [Rending], Dark Matter Shield (Rank 3) [Reflecting].” The usual crimson and purple coated his blade, but the shield was a slightly deeper hue of purple that coated his body. “They can’t see us, so this should be easy.” He ran around the outside edge of the lake – making sure to stay out of any puddles.
An odd, black dot appeared in front of him. Shit! He had to stop, sinking into the muddy ground slightly as a singularity opened right in front of him and began to draw him in. Dark Energy Mine (Rank 1). Detonate! The Skill went off, and he no longer felt the pull of the gravity well on him. If he had touched it, he would’ve been spaghettified and probably died.
“He’s here!” Someone about thirty feet in front of him shouted out.
Jace could see the shimmering, Skill-imbued figures making their way around the lake towards him. Aiming his Ghostlight Grapnel at the one beyond the singularity, he fired it off and saw it attach to whatever barrier surrounded them. “What the-”
He retracted and made sure to jump out to the right to avoid the singularity itself. Driving his Starstorm Sword forward, he knew that the Swordmage Stance [Astral Annihilator] Evolution would pierce right through the barrier and sunder the Skill. He saw for a moment the person’s face and their vine-form Wayfinder. For a single instant, their eyes snapped up to the direction he was coming in from, as if they knew he was there.
But it did not matter, they couldn’t react in time. He saw the dark-grey barrier shatter under the tip of his sword, and grimaced as he impaled the figure through the chest – right up to the hilt. His momentum kept carrying him forward, past the person, as he ripped the blade free.
“Singularity Storm!”
“Amplify Gravity!”
Jace heard two overlapping voices as the sky above him ripped open and hurtling, black dots flew down. Micro-singularities that would doubtless rip right through him if they hit. The grassland around him flattened from a sudden increase in gravity. Jace could clearly see the two Aspirants rushing towards his location. The gravity field must give them a sense of where I am.
He threw the sword at one of the two, who reacted just in time as they battered the projectile away. And they’ve got that localized field.
Priam spoke up from just behind him. “Priest’s Smite (Rank 9) [Marking].”
The figure that Jace had thrown his sword at was struck by five pulses of electricity that arced from above. He could see the steam rising from their body and heard the scream of agony as they writhed in their armor on the ground. Recalling his blade, he grappled over to the prone form – heedless of the micro-singularities pelting the barrier Priam had placed on him. He stabbed down and ended that Aspirant.
The golden honeycomb structure shattered around him, and Jace felt extremely tired as he was pelted with the singularities. But, thanks to [Reflecting], the Aspirant behind him was screaming out in pain from the damage that was returned upon him. Jace felt his knees shaking and was gasping for breath. “Priam-”
“On it! Pulsar Ward (Rank 20) [Multi-Target].” The barrier popped back into place around the two, and it was then that Jace noticed Priam was breathing raggedly. “Pulsar Physic (Rank 1),” he whispered, and Jace saw him perk up a bit.
“You badly hurt?”
“No. I’m good now.”
Jace nodded as the Singularity Storm ended and the Aspirant who had used the Skill lay dead on the ground – dozens of holes drilled through their body. That’s three down. Nine left. Jace could see them closing in and took stock of their situation. He was close to empty on energy. Priam was breathing heavily as well. “Ollie, I need energy.”
“Sorry, only way to get it back is by sleeping.”
Fine then. “Priam, get off and hold my pack.”
Priam did so and grabbed Jace’s pack as he slipped out of the loops. “What’s your plan?”
“Run. Get back far enough that you can still use your barrier or healing on me.”
“Oh-okay!” Priam dashed off over the grass and moved around the puddles, getting some distance from the lakeside.
“What are you doing?” Ollie asked with concern lacing his words.
Jace shrugged and rolled his shoulders, “I can’t move as well with him on my back. And this is going to come down to me just using Swordmage Stance and hoping for the best.”
Ollie gripped the back of his head with his little paws, “Just be careful.”
Dark Matter Shield (Rank 2), Jace thought as he shifted to the non-energy-costing Shield thanks to the recently acquired Thellor’s Everguard. And…drop the Cloak.
“There he is!”
“He’s weak!”
“Get him!”
There were overlapping voices and Jace took in a deep breath as he saw the nine remaining foes closing in from the sides – and one who launched themselves over the water and straight toward him. I’ve got this. Just trust the Swordmage Stance Skill. He let the breath out and saw dozens of singularities begin to shoot his direction.
Dark Energy Mine (Rank 1). Detonate. The invisible pulse went off, and he felt his eyes flutter as lethargy swept over him. Stay up! He told himself, forcing himself to remain awake through sheer willpower. As long as he dodged the actual singularities themselves, he would not be harmed by the gravity well tearing at him.
The various Aspirants rushed toward him, and two arrived from both sides. The one on the right was dressed in light, leather-style armor much like Jace’s, but carried two daggers. The one on the left came at him in heavy armor – that was quickly crushed in on him. Thanks, Priam, Jace thought as he saw the familiar golden crackling of magnetic energy.
Facing the one with the twin blades, he shoved his invisible-to-them shield forward and slammed them in the face with the bottom of the shield – which was intercepted by a barrier, but still pushed them back. They recovered quickly and slash with a flurry of swipes, their blades glowing with a black, all-absorbing energy sheath. He parried with his Starstorm Sword, raised his leg up, and delivered a punishing kick to their torso. It bounced from their barrier but did its job of keeping their blades out of range.
Enough for Jace to bring his own sword down onto their left arm – just grazing the shield. But thanks to [Astral Annihilator], he saw the glowing barrier crack and dissipate – and a look of desperation go over their visage. “Got you!” Jace shouted out as he delivered a punishing shield slam right into their torso – knocking them prone. He followed up with a quick stab into the neck and heard their gurgling.
“Behind!” Ollie shouted, and Jace twisted in midair thanks to the null gravity still affecting him. He got his prosthetic leg into the crook of the person’s extended arm, deflecting their blow as he sent them rocketing into the sky. “He is flying! Double-A must have lifted the restriction for them!”
Jace frowned. Fine then. I’ll just bring you down here! He fired off the Ghostlight Grapnel at the flying Black Hole Aspirant, latching onto them and pulling them to him. He held the invisible sword up, and impaled the person upon his blade, shoving their body to the side. 6 left. And Priam’s shield is still full.
Glancing back to where he had seen Priam run towards, he thankfully saw no sign of movement. Keep their attention. He lifted his sword up in triumph, and smiled with as much cockiness as he could muster. “Come on? Is that all you got?”
The six remaining had made their way around the edge, and all approached at once. Crap. Jace was at the center of a shooting range, and it was at that moment that Dark Energy Mine faded and he landed on the ground.
“Singularity Storm!”
“Endbringer’s Devouring!”
“Oblivion’s Edge!”
Three different Skills, all fired off at once, all at him. Jace put his shield above his head to block and negate – thanks to the innate property of Dark Matter – the micro-singularities that descended from small rips in the sky above.
He saw a vertical, slicing blade of solid black light. He was barely able to dodge to the side, but that opened him up to being pelted by some of the singularities from above. He saw Priam’s shield begin to crack. He was also pulled towards the side and into a shadowy patch of grass – the gravity well of the passing, vertical line having forced him to move that direction.
An enormous, spectral, black maw opened next to him, and he barely rolled out of the way as the gnashing teeth of the Skill chomped down and took a literal bite out of reality. As he rolled, he flung his sword out and watched it impale one of the Aspirants through the skull – one who was still manifesting some powerful Skill but had not yet launched it. They fell, dead from the sudden, unexpected blade.
Recalling the sword he barely raised it in time as an enormous hammer came down from above. A slim figure wielded the weapon, and despite blocking the blow, he felt pain blossom through his chest as Priam’s barrier shattered and a wave of gravity slammed into his sternum. He coughed up blood that spattered into the Aspirant’s eyes – buying him a moment to slice at them and kick them off.
Dark Matter Mending (Rank 4) [Vampiric]. He could feel his ribs snap back into place and his breathing came easier. Kipping up to his feet, he saw the person begin to swing once more – but their body was jolted from above with a divine, golden light that caused them to scream in pain. Jace took advantage of their moment of pain and stabbed them through the neck, kicking them back as his body fully finished repairing itself.
“Entropy’s Embrace!” Jace looked sideways and barely got his tower shield in the way of a blast that arced out to him. The black, grey energy was like his Dark Energy Beam; and it slowly ate away at his shield as the beam continued to channel. “Just die already!” the person shouted.
Nope! Not happening. I’m surviving this! Dark Energy Beam (Rank 1) [Limited Range]. The energy drain was barely noticeable as the inch-wide beam lanced out from the space above Jace’s right shoulder, arcing out and piercing through the Black Hole Aspirant’s eye. They screamed and dropped their focus on the entropy Skill, giving Jace a chance to rush up and swing as hard as he could at their neck, cutting it off completely.
3 left, he thought as he saw two of them running…away? No, they’re after Priam! He could see the bunny-boy running off further in the distance, and Jace began sprinting after them.
Something struck him from behind and he rolled with the blow. “Your armor took the hit,” Ollie said with a calm expression. “Just keep going. You’ve got this!”
Jace looked back and spotted the last of the group that had begun circling him. They looked afraid, and whatever weapon they had just shot at him had been practically meaningless, as Jace’s new armor shrugged off the blow. He still felt a twinge of pain from where the impact was and he knew that it had bruised him. “Run,” he growled, letting as much anger fill his voice as he could muster.
The person ran off in the other direction, and Jace turned back to the duo chasing Priam and began sprinting after them. He saw Priam dodging left and right, his barrier flickering with golden hues as the two Black Hole Aspirants shot Skill after Skill at the Pulsar Priest. A singularity opened up in front of Priam, and he almost ran right into it. Jace saw the barrier compressing around him, and heard the scream of terror.
Dark Energy Mine (Rank 1) [Distant]. Detonate. Jace saw the pulse appear just around his companion, preventing him from being crushed by the enormous waves of gravity. He ran up behind one of the two Aspirants, who turned just in time to see their death as Jace stabbed them through the face. Jace felt so, so sleepy. He stumbled to a knee.
Ollie slapped him on the face, “Stay awake!”
The second one turned to face him. They laughed and raised thin, delicate blade. “On guard!” they stepped forward, Jace pushed himself up to his feet, and took up a ready stance. The woman approached with her stance bladed, taking rapid jabs towards Jace. He used his long, light sword to deflect the blows with a flick of his wrist – but this person must have some similar Skill as his Swordmage Stance at max Ranks as well.
She was able to keep up with him and he could hear her laughing under her armored helmet. “Really? That’s all you have?” She redoubled her assault, and Jace knew, instinctively, that this woman had some type of natural talent that was amplified further by the Class Skill. He started receiving cuts to his armor; thankfully the armor itself repelled the blows. “Hard nut to crack even with lighter gear.”
“How can you see my weapon?” Jace asked as he backed off. Dark Matter Shield (Rank 3), he thought as the bubble appeared around him.
“Never said I could. But I can sense the presence of something there.” She grinned and the enormous singularity that had been sucking Priam towards itself vanished. The bunny-boy fell to the ground. He lifted his hand and Jace saw the crackling pulse of energy in the air above the woman.
He stepped forward and dropped his sword on the ground. Feinting falling unconscious, he saw the woman go in for a killing strike – only to be stopped by the Dark Matter Shield. Jace grabbed the thin blade and felt his eyes begin to shut – but he kept it held in place.
“How?!” she shouted.
A split-second later, Priam’s Smite fired off. The woman shrieked in pain as she was crushed within her armor from the magnetic forces assaulting her.
“Good job,” Priam shouted weakly. He stood up and walked over to Jace. “You okay?”
Jace nodded and relaxed, letting all of his Skills lapse. “We…we did it.” He tried to move but felt too tired. “I…” he shut his eyes.
Slap! Jace woke up immediately as Ollie slapped his face over and over again. “No! You can’t sleep here! It’s not safe!”
Priam had gotten next to Jace and tried to pull him upright, but struggled against his bulk. “Come on. We have to move.”
Jace numbly nodded and sat up. Can’t sleep…need to get somewhere safe.
Ollie went still for a moment and his eyes went black. His mouth opened, and Xera’s voice came out. “You’ve got to get moving. There’s a limited number of Aspirants that Yholl can teleport before he is out of uses of that Skill for the day – but more are on foot and heading to you.”
Jace tried to push himself to his feet, “I…I’ll try…what about the Stardust and dungeon cores?”
“Forget about that,” Xera ordered. “Maybe altogether its five hundred Stardust and you’re still leagues ahead on dungeon cores. Going back will take too long. You need to move. Now.”
Jace felt Priam next to him, trying to drag him along. The bunny-boy was struggling under the weight of both of their packs. “Come on, Jace!”
Right…I need to get going. He reached down and grabbed his pack, nestling it back on his shoulders as the familiar weight settled on his back. Priam got just in front of him and held up his sword, “Come on. Survive, right? Get to Tier 10. Get Chroma and my dad back.”
Xera’s voice softened and Jace felt a warmth rush through him at her words. “I’m so proud of you, Jace. You’re doing so well. You’re the best Signer I could ask for. Just a little further.” The validation of a figure that he valued. A woman who had taken care of him, and did not abandon him in his hour of need.
“Priam…get on,” Jace whispered as he loosened his backpack.
“You su-”
“Now.”
Priam clambered up onto Jace’s back, and he tightened down the straps as the Pulsar Priest wrapped his arms around Jace’s neck. “I’ve got Priest’s Benediction still active on you. I don’t know if that will help energy regeneration rate at all.”
I can run without spending much energy, Jace thought. Thanks to the [Innvervating] Evolution, I can keep up a jog for a practically endless duration. He began jogging off toward the distant plains tile, and the safety of the capital.
