Unbound

Felix was jolted awake by a familiar combination: searing pain and a flood of notifications.

“Ah, Jesus,” he hissed, pressing a hand to his chest. It was bare and hot to the touch, but the pain soon faded. He blinked. Naked, save for the blanket pooled around his hips, he sat atop a mound of soft furs next to a banked fire and the still-dripping remains of a beast on a spit above the coals. “Where—? Hssh!”

Etheric Concordance is level 97!

Etheric Concordance is level 98!

Deep Mind is level 94!

…

Deep Mind is level 97!

Void Sanctuary is level 103!

…

Wild Threnody is level 96!

Sovereign of Flesh is level 98!

Stone Shaping is level 100!

Master Tier!

You Gain:

+100 INT

+100 DEX

+100 END

Felix gritted his teeth against the surge of colorless System energy as it poured into his core space. It flooded his dual cores before it was regurgitated back out, now blue-white and red-gold comets that speared into his specific Skills. The spherical worlds within his strange, conical solar system ignited one after the other, absorbing the comets of potency and growing brighter and more complex with every impact.

The greatest jump of all was Stone Shaping, as the muddy brown world gained a new, undefinable sense of weight and complexity. It was as if a two dimensional drawing suddenly became three dimensional, all at once, and it felt like a spear had been shoved from Felix’s teeth down to his heel.

He choked back a scream and simply endured the agony. Soon it faded and was masked entirely by The Song of Absolution, until he felt nothing more than a buzzing sensation across his body. Then even that was gone.

Stone Shaping.

Felix gestured and Mana poured from his hand. In less than an instant, it formed a cube of gray-brown stone. He stared at it, considering its angles and the firmness of its structure. He flared the Skill again. The cube became an orb, then a rod, then a cutlass with a handguard and curved blade. It morphed with the merest flicker of his Will and the barest touch of additional Mana each time, far more responsive than ever before.

“Another Master Tier Skill.” He dismissed the shaping entirely. “The benefits of facing down a god, I guess.”

That’s not to say he wasn’t excited about raising another Skill to Master; Felix was just a touch overwhelmed. It had been a wild few days.

He looked around. At first blush it appeared they were in a cave, and Felix’s stomach twisted at the thought. They’d only just left the caves behind, and now—he paused, looking again. Not a cave. That sheen…is this made of chitin?

Voracious Eye.

Name: Hut v. 2.1

Type: Structure (Chitin)

Lore: Made by Beefhammer via his Keratin Conception Skill, the Hut v. 2.1 is the latest iteration of Beef’s continued efforts to master his Skill. It was designed with the intent to house a large creature and ventilate a central firepit.

“Huh. Good job, Beef.” The kid was really getting good at making things. All of that time he’d spent training his Shipwright Skill had paid off. Now that he was looking, Felix spotted the joists in the wavering shadows.

Felix leaned back, letting his body rest against the fire-warmed furs. His thoughts, however, were not so idle. They wrestled with recent events—namely, what Avet had done to Pit. Felix wasn’t sure if it was because of how exhausted he was from the fight and the rush of System energy, but he had been furious…and now he was mostly just confused.

The two of them had just had a fairly positive interaction in the Shrine, even if Felix had initially been pretty hostile. Avet wasn’t exactly an ally, but he’d made it clear that he wasn’t working against them either.

Then he did this.

Avet had said it was to help, but surely the guy knew Felix and Pit’s opinions on the gods and their interference. They didn’t want his help.

That, of course, forced them to fight. To press against a god’s influence and the mote itself. To—Felix’s thoughts stuttered to a stop.

If Avet hadn’t intervened…would Pit have ever managed to Evolve?

Maybe. Maybe Felix could have pushed through the molten barrier around his friend’s core space and checked…or maybe Pit would have died there, ripped apart from within.

Damn it.

Felix wasn’t sure what frustrated him more, the fact that Avet had involved himself or the fact that it might have actually helped.

He gave us an enemy. And Pit… For the first time, Felix looked for his friend. He knew he was close—he could feel him through their bond.

Only after a second of panicking did Felix realize that the massive mound of furs he was laid atop was breathing. Pit was right next to him, but he was changed.

“That’s…that’s a big bird,” Felix managed. Pit was curled up, but even so he was roughly the size of a city bus. He was way bigger than he had been even before his First Evolution. The Chimera was, however, still clearly a tenku: big bushy fox tail, black and russet body topped with glossy black feathers, and a head plucked straight from a raven. The real differences, apart from size, was the small crest of feathers that stuck out above his tufted ears…and his wings.

Felix sat down, suddenly overcome. His insides felt like jelly and his throat hurt as tears stung his eyes. His wings…

Since the High Guard had cut off his wings and inflicted the Curse of Flame on him, his wings remained a constant injury. Unable to regrow or even scab over the raw wound, it had left his friend in ceaseless pain.

Now, there they were, in all their glory. Felix could barely form coherent thoughts through the immensity of his relief, but one did manage to sneak through: they seemed a lot bigger than before. Broader, for sure, with primary flight feathers the size of greatswords. The feathers were mostly glossy black, but a hint of cyan, russet red, and even a muted sort of gold were present.

There were so many feathers overlapping that it was hard to tell where the wing started or ended. Sitting down as they both were, it almost seemed like—Felix leaned closer.

Pit had two sets of wings.

“Four wings,” he muttered in awe.

“Felix?”

An enormous head three lifted from the ground and blinked blearily at him. His eyes were still gold, but now the sclera around them was pitch black. Just by extending his neck, Pit’s reclined form towered over Felix. “Wha—why are you so small?”

His muscles rippled with power as he stood, a silent potential that was fearsome despite his very soft-looking fur. “Why is everything so small?”

“Hey buddy. I think…Well, you hit your Second Evolution, that’s for sure.”

Pit’s eyes widened. “Oh! Right! I haven’t looked at it yet!”

He swiped his paw, and a blue window appeared in front of both of them.

Second Evolution: Primordial Storm Tyrant

Felix whistled. “Look at those stat bumps. That’s a huge increase all at once.”

“Yeah it felt terrible,” Pit admitted. “But also, really good? I didn’t like it.”

“It’s an acquired taste.”

“Do I…” Pit craned his neck around, which caused his rear end to bash into the side of the hut. The whole place groaned. “Oh dang. Sorry. Do I have four wings?”

Felix grinned. “Yeah. You do.”

Pit closed his big eyes in relief. He spoke a single word in a quiet voice filled with passion. “Yes.”

“You’re all healed, buddy.” Felix couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up, so he let it out. “How does it feel?”

The tenku’s enormous bird head twisted this way and that, peering at his legs and wings and even the length of his long, bushy tail. “I feel…comfortable.” The crest of feathers at the top of his head lifted and settled. “This feels so much better than before. Why is that?”

“I dunno, man. You weren’t quite this big, though.”

“No, but I wanted to be small back then. So I was. But now,” Pit adjusted both sets of his wings. A gust stirred the inside of the hut, igniting the banked coals back into a blaze. “Now I feel complete.”

Choice.

The words made both of them jump in the pitch darkness of the hut. Felix pressed a hand to his stomach. “Hunger. Jesus, lady, you scared the pants off me.”

“Neither of us are wearing pants, Felix.”

“Semantics.”

“What did you mean, Hunger? What choice?” Pit asked.

Earlier Growth Was Involuntary. Against Your Choice. So You Made A Choice And Changed. Now You Are Big Again, But By Will And Intent.

Felix blinked, but when no more words rose from his chest, he shared a long look with his Companion. That had been the longest his Hunger had ever spoken at once, and the last few had sounded tired and faded.

“I think she might be right,” Pit said after a few minutes. “I chose this Evolution…and I did it for me. I think I missed being in the thick of battle—and I think I was tired of you having to come save me all the time.”

Scratching the back of his neck, Felix wasn’t quite sure what to say. “Well, with all those stat boosts, you’re gonna be a force to reckon with.”

“Yeah.” Pit perked up, and the crest atop his head lifted again. “I’m gonna save you now.”

“You better. What else? I was kicked out of your core space before I saw much in the way of notifications.”

Pit moved his paw around, clearly navigating his windows, before shoving one at his Companion.

New Titles!

First Of Your Kind! (Unique)

The Audacity of Mortality! (Transcendent)

A blue box bordered in gold shimmered before Felix, and the more he read, the lower his mouth hung. “These are incredible. The stats alone are amazing, but this other one…a free evolution for up to three Skills.” Due to the nature of Etheric Concordance, their bond Skill, all Titles ranked higher than Rare were shared between the two of them. Not split or divvied up. Duplicated. First Of Your Kind was Unique, which didn’t qualify for their special bond—but the other was Transcendent. “Adding on the one I got from a Title, that means we each have four free Skill evolutions.”

“That’s huge.” Pit’s head jerked back. “Gah! More notifications. Hold on.”

A cascade of System windows appeared before the both of them. Felix eager read them all.

Due To The Mote Of Frenzy, Synergy Among Your Titles And Skills, Mantle of Tumult, Dark Glacial Guard, Heat Resistance, Cold Resistance, and Poison Resistance Have Combined into Mantle of the Stormlord (Legendary)!

Level Is Averaged!

Mantle of the Stormlord (Legendary), Level 62!

You have claimed the potency of the storm itself, riding high upon its might as if you were born to it. Your Primordial blood sings of an ancient legend, of a creature wreathed in the fury of the tempest that could command its every move. Wear the Mantle with pride, Stormlord, for it is your sword and shield.

“I gotta try that out. Mantle of the Stormlord!”

Pit’s entire form was abruptly enveloped with a subtle green and blue light. He moved his forelimb, and flickers of lightning jumped between his knee and chest. When he flexed his paw, talons the size of long daggers sprang out like a cat’s. They looked to be made of a translucent crystal, and now were filled with a swirling, stormy light.

Looking at it, Felix felt a sense of…he wasn’t sure. It was peaceful to him, despite its stormy nature. “Impressive, dude. How do you feel?”

“I feel like this will do some damage,” Pit said, but was interrupted by yet another System notification.

Skills Have Changed!

Due To Your Evolution, The Mote Of Frenzy, Synergy Among Your Titles, And The Influence Of The Mantle Of The Stormlord, Hurricane Rasp (E) Has Evolved!

Hurricane Rasp (E) Has Become Talon of Tumult (Legendary)

Level Is Maintained!

Talon of Tumult (Legendary), Level 86!

Your very strikes are at the center of the storm, and imbued with a dizzying potency. Each attack inflicts an instance of Confusion on your target, decreasing their ability to recognize friend from foe. Instances of Confusion stack. Number and effect of instances increases with Skill level.

Due To Your Evolution, The Mote Of Frenzy, Synergy Among Your Titles, And The Influence Of The Mantle Of The Stormlord, Bloody Gnaw (E) Has Evolved!

Bloody Gnaw (E) Has Become Maelstrom’s Maw (Legendary)

Level Is Maintained!

Maelstrom’s Maw (Legendary), Level 85!

Your simple bite has become a savage frenzy. Targets are drawn toward your open maw by dire winds, all but delivering themselves to you. Contact with your beak drives a current of lightning Mana through your target, further debilitating them. Pull increases with Skill level. Damage from lightning Mana increases with Skill level.

Due To Your Evolution, The Mote Of Frenzy, Synergy Among Your Titles, And The Influence Of The Mantle Of The Stormlord, Long Blade Mastery (C) Has Evolved!

Long Blade Mastery (C) Has Become Executioner’s Stormblade (Epic)!

Level Is Maintained!

Executioner’s Stormblade (Epic), Level 48!

As your power and significance grows, so too does the weight of your blade. Gone is the aimlessness of your previous mastery—now you wield your weapon with Intent and Will as much as Strength and Dexterity. Any long blade you wield with this Skill gains a shroud of wind and lightning around its edge, increasing the damage and speed of each strike based on the sharpness of your Intent and the weight of your Will. Consumes Mana.

Pit whistled. “Whoa, this Mantle isn’t kidding around!”

“A new Skill and three evolutions all in one. I figured the Mote of Frenzy would affect things for you, but this is way more than I expected.” Felix ran his hand over Pit’s fur, letting the Mantle spark off his scales. It dropped his Health slightly, but didn’t hurt much at all. That sense of comfort only increased when he made contact with it. “Strong too, despite its low level. Wonder how hard it’ll be to raise up through Adept and into Master Tier?”

“I think—” Pit large beak opened, but the sound cut off and his eyes bulged.

Another notification.

Due To The Mote Of Frenzy, Your Skill Thunderwing (Legendary) Has Evolved Into Ouranic Dominion (Divine)!

Level Is Maintained!

Ouranic Dominion (D), Level 73!

During the War, the gods once claimed the very skies as their own, forbidding even elementals of the air to climb higher than the meanest of foothills. You, who have rejected their authority, now rise upon the winds and your own might. The skies are yours.

Ouranic. That word again. Felix wracked his brain for its meaning, but it was basically Greek to him. His skin prickled. Greek. That’s how I know it. He’d spent an inordinate amount of time reading up on Greek mythology when he was a kid, and some of it rushed back as if he’d only just closed the wiki article. Felix put his hands on his hips and started pacing. Ouranos was the Greek god of the sky. Ouranic was used as a general term for the gods in the heavens…just like Chthonic was used to describe the gods beneath the earth. It…Ouranic law means Divine law.That means they have rules. Boundaries.

He stopped, mid-step. Is that how they got chained up?

“Felix!”

“Wha–?” The shaking of the earth tore Felix from his musing, as did Pits shocked squawking. “What is it?”

Pit’s eyes were bulging again but this time his entire body was shuddering. His beak was chattering, and it was all he could do to swipe his head, sending an ominously colored notification rotating toward Felix.

It looked like a slab of obsidian carved with gold and crimson letters that changed shape whenever Felix wasn’t looking directly at them. As he read, however, they morphed into legibility.

Congratulations, Mortal!

You Have Received A Special Title!

Pretty Good Job (Unique)

Not bad, little tenku. Not bad at all. Here, a final gift, devoid of any strings or influence. They should shore up the stats your other bonuses didn’t cover. Use them well.

+300 VIT

+200 PER

+500 To All Harmonic Stats

Avet.

“Why would he give me this?” Pit finally asked. He worked his jaw, which had finally stopped jittering up and down. “That was so many stat points.”

“I don’t know.”

Pit was silent for a moment. “Do you think Avet is our enemy?”

“I don’t know. I hope not. We have enough.”

Pit nodded. “I hope so too. But if he is,” he lifted a dark paw and flexed it, extending a set of crystalline claws as long as any dagger. “He’ll regret it.”

“Damn straight.” Felix reached over and grabbed the ten-foot spit off the fire. It was red hot from the renewed flame and the beast meat was starting to char. “Eat something. You’ve been through a lot of changes.”

The enormous tenku turned around, his movements graceful even though his Body bumped into the side of the hut more than once. “But I wanna go out and try these new Skills.”

“We’ll have time for that later. Eat first.” Felix took a bit himself, and the rough but bold flavors of the monster meat assaulted his senses. It tasted amazing. “Okay, we’re gonna need way more of this.”

Mm. Yes.

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