A Novel Concept

The old man smiled as he approached the edge of the roof. A clamor was rising from the street. The Phoenix Clan was beginning to search every passerby and they were not always in agreement.

"I had to steal this Tear, but I obviously arrived too late. It's my fault, I wanted to orchestrate an impressive theft by announcing it. It would have increased the prestige of my Guild..." he lamented. "But maybe it's not so bad. Bravo for the theft, by the way. You can teleport, right?"

Priam raised his eyebrows. Diamond hadn't even tried to disguise his question. "I have a feeling I'll be teleporting away from this conversation soon..."

The elder raised his hands in the air. "No no, wait. Sorry, I guess it's a taboo question now. However, that was really impressive. Before you leave, I have a proposal. I'd like to propose a mission to you. The rewards are worth it, and between the two of us, we might be able to pull it off."

"I'm very busy right now," Priam replied, staring at Diamond. [He Who Eludes Death] was almost recharged, and he wanted to get to the Palace quickly.

"I suspect you might be interested. The Phoenix Tear is rare, but this move would make it look like a trinket. I won't bore you with the details, but while the Colosseum is there to help warriors, there is also the Hideout, which helps thieves and assassins," Diamond revealed. "I need you for a level four mission. It's the equivalent of the fortieth Wave of the Colosseum."

Priam squinted his eyes. "I don't want to question your skills, Diamond, but I barely made it through the twentieth wave. I can't imagine you being that strong."

"You're right. I'm amazing, but level 4 is still too hard for me. I'd say I'm between levels 2 and 3 right now - and I'm the best thief of this Dome," he added. Priam reassessed the thief. If he was telling the truth, the thief was exceptionally talented - if not modest. Priam touched the Tear box through his robe to ensure it was still there. If he gets too close, I'll skewer him...

"However, with my flying skills and your teleportation, it's possible," continued Diamond. "Not now, of course, but at the end of the week. It would be interesting for both of us. I get the mission reward from the Hideout - certainly a Talent or skill - and then I’ll attempt other Level 4 missions solo. You get the physical reward. We're here to steal something after all," Diamond chuckled.

"... What would we steal?" asked Priam.

The thief checked his surroundings before answering. "The Moon Key," he whispered. "It opens a portal to the Moon after the Reunion. For the return trip, you'll need another key, though."

Priam thought about the proposal. He didn't need another key. Elysium wouldn't let him go for long. Coming back to the Moon when no one else was there... He looked up to the sky and beyond. A few seconds later, he began to smile. If it works...

"I might be interested," he replied. "But not until the end of the week. If you're still interested, contact Tjay, an orphan selling information. Oh and, Diamond? You better not try to fool me..." he threatened.

"Don't forget the Honor Among Thieves,” he reminded.

"You stole that from a movie," retorted Priam.

Diamond smiled with all his teeth, and Priam thought he liked gold too. "Don't worry, I'm the best because I know who to steal from," the thief replied before reaching for his ear. "I've got to get going. I can't wait to hear about your next exploit Priam Pizza Azura" he finished.

The thief's face turned blacker than night. A moment later, his body turned to black ink and fell to the ground, merging with the shadows. Priam, despite his impressive perception, could no longer detect anything.

Feeling vibrations coming from the building, he stepped forward and disappeared too. A few seconds later, a door on the roof opened.

"Search the roof," the man in the red robe with the silver embroidery ordered curtly. He had just lost something of great value. The only upside to the theft was that the Tear belonged to him personally. He didn't dare imagine his punishment for losing a clan treasure.

A few seconds later, one of his subordinates came to report. "No trace on the roof, Leader. Our guys detected a slightly high percentage of humidity in one of the unoccupied rooms on the lower floor. But even searching near the chimney overlooking the room, we found nothing. Since we're outside, if there was a very light mist, it would have dissipated long ago," he reported.

The leader's face turned the color of his robe. "Are you telling me we have no leads?"

"Yes, Leader. But we're still looking," the subordinate swallowed.

"You won't find anything," announced a voice. The man in black, whose wrists were splinted for easy healing, was approaching. "But we will. We will bring the Tear back to the Phoenix Clan, have no fear. We are partners, after all, and the Cult of Revenants never abandons its allies," he smiled.

The leader visibly calmed down.

"Thank you, Antoine. If there is anything I can do to help..."

"That won't be necessary," Antoine replied. "I already have a lead..."

Priam reappeared on the roof of a building more than three hundred meters away. Without wasting any time, he started running across the rooftops to build up kinetic energy and escape the scene of his misdeed. He quickly accelerated to his maximum speed, using [Art of Movement] and [Kinetic Control] to propel himself from building to building and roof to roof. His goal was to lose any pursuers.

Lvl Up: [Art of Movement] lvl 13
AGI +1
PERC +1
DEXT +1

Priam was close to the Ducal Palace and quickly reached the square surrounding it. The Palace was built on top of the Dome, on a small hill, and dominated the city. Made of gold and metal, the majestic structure imposed an aura of nobility. The area near the Palace was empty and paved. In this square, richly decorated buildings stood, Priam recognized the home of the merchant Mercury, which Tjay had told him about.

For the moment, he was not interested in the merchant but in the Lord of the Dome. The Palace had four colossal towers that soared to the sky. He quickly shot a mist towards the nearest tower. A few seconds later, Priam rode the fog and found himself on a balcony of the Palace, more than two hundred meters from his original location. He looked back, but nothing seemed to move. It was unlikely that opponents would have followed him, given his speed, but he wanted to be sure.

Priam opened his status and decided to meditate while waiting for [He Who Eludes Death] to renew. He wanted to be at his best to face the Viscount.

Lvl Up: [Meditation] lvl 3,4
WILL +6
MEM+3

Fifty minutes later, Priam opened his eyes. [Meditation] coupled with [Eidetic Memory] had refreshed his mind. He realized that the talent allowed him to increase his Memory without leveling up a skill.

Just as doing push-ups could increase his strength, methodically searching his Memory would improve it. Of course, he knew that the skill, as valuable as it was, would begin to lose its effectiveness as he accumulated more memories and knowledge. But then there would always be time to improve the skill. If Priam were to hazard an analogy, he had started with a standard memory and now had a directory to access his memories. In the future, perhaps he could create some sort of AI that could sort out his memory for him?

But there was no substitute for naturally increasing his Memory attribute. It was the easiest way to think of all his knowledge simultaneously and remember everything. Right now, [Eidetic Memory] was helping him to complete his Memory, but in twenty or thirty years? The talent would not be enough.

Priam rummaged through his clothes and pulled out the Tear first. He identified it to make sure Diamond hadn't managed to steal it, but it seemed genuine. He slipped it into an easily accessible pocket. If he had to use it, he might not have time to get it out of the box.

Priam then took the black box he had retrieved. The man in black certainly wanted to exchange it for the Tear. So it was only natural to assume that its contents were of the same rarity level as the Tear. Priam turned the box away from him. Its bearer was a dart enthusiast, and if Priam was to believe the books he had read, such people liked to trap their treasures.

Priam grabbed the edges of the box and pressed it open. Nothing happened. He frowned as he applied more force. The little box remained closed.

A few seconds later, Priam swore as he tried to open the box. He tried to insert the tip of his spear into the gap to pry it open, but the box remained obstinate. A splash attack would have had more effect.

Copiously insulting the box, the tree that had created its wood, and the seed of that same tree, he finally got up. As a wise man once said: 'If your problem cannot be solved by strength, you are not using enough strength'.

Priam put the box on the ground and held it down with his foot. He had a fight to the death scheduled in less than fifteen minutes and didn't want to waste time with a box. He raised his spear and struck the lock of the box. Magikarp becomes Gyarados. The lock snapped, making Priam smile. He opened the box with the tip of his spear and revealed the object inside. A twin Tear to the one he had stolen was in the box. The only difference was its black color.

[Identification]
[Tear of a Phoenix of the Depths] - The Depths is a terrible place, containing the cataclysms to come. Long ago, an evil god locked up a child Phoenix there. Lost, abandoned, and tortured, the Depths won him over. His distress made him cry one last time. Here is his diluted tear.
This Tear tainted by the Depths allows influencing the consciousness of a Phoenix. Its consumption promises a rebirth.
Beware: when consumed, the influence of the Depths will arise to corrupt the surrounding environment.

Priam watched the corrupted Tear momentarily before putting it away in one of his pockets. He wasn't sure he wanted to use the Tear, despite [He Who Eludes Death]. The identification advised against it, and he shouldn't be reckless if a real Phoenix and a god were involved.

After a few seconds, Priam turned his gaze to the Phoenix Hotel. The leader of the Phoenix Clan must have known what the object was for. So it was a safe bet that he wanted to trade in the corrupted Tear for social status. If it was possible to influence the feelings of a real Phoenix, then affecting the sentiments of a half-Phoenix from a secondary family should be easy... Humans always manage to adapt, even after an apocalypse...

Shaking his head, he turned to the picture window and opened it. The longer he waited, the more powerful the Viscount became. Before entering the apartment, Priam changed his mind and glanced down from the balcony railing. Time to get ready...

Half an hour later, Priam was strolling through the corridors of the Palace. The Palace was exceptionally well decorated, and splendid Persian carpets in red and gold adorned the floor. The quality of the wool, silk, and cotton brought a smile to Priam's lips as his bare feet trod the carpets. The building was brightly lit, with crystal chandeliers and lamps hanging on the wall. The opulence of the place was artfully measured so as not to disgust the visitor.

Priam had begun by opening room after room before realizing the futility of his approach. Seen from the outside, the Palace was immense, but like the Colosseum, it was spatially expanded. Quickly, Priam became aware that he could spend weeks opening the various doors without finding anything but beautiful suites. Sleeping in a nice bed wasn't unpleasant, but right now, Priam wanted to slaughter a Viscount and get some new Titles.

The Baron began running through the corridors to find more useful rooms.

Ten minutes later, after several detours, he came to the end of an endless hallway. A heavy double door was waiting for him. Putting his hand on it, the System warned him.

Ducal Library: Open to the Lord of the Dome only.

Priam left with a smile. Maya hadn't lied. There was a use for being the Dome Lord. If there was a library, surely there were other valuable facilities in the other towers. A weapons room? Maybe even a garden to take samples back to Log-a-rhythm...

Priam mentally marked the location of the library in his mind. He probably wouldn't have time to read until the end of the week, but if he could defeat the Boss of the Fiftieth Wave... Either way, he had a new reason to beat the Dome Lord. Knowledge was power.

Walking up the hallway to the end, Priam eventually found a staircase. The Baron went down to return to the main building. While searching, he noticed that the windows faced the same side of the Dome. He had not exited the tower he had reached with his jump. If the Viscount was waiting anywhere, it would be either in the Throne Room or his chambers, not an outlying tower.

It took Priam almost an hour to find the throne room. It was indeed at the back of the main building. The distance between it and the entrance was insane. Priam had sped up as he searched, and by the end, he had simply run down an endless hallway.

Lvl Up: [Athletics] lvl 18,19
AGI +2

Smiling, Priam arrived at the doors to the Throne Room, barely out of breath. He took a breath before putting his hand on the right door.

Throne Room: Open to the nobility.
Welcome, Baron.

Priam gently pushed open the door. If the Lord was sleeping, he had no intention of disturbing his sleep. As soon as the opening allowed him to pass, Priam crept into the room. Instantly, he looked around to check for possible threats.

The room was both vast and empty. It reminded Priam of the Iron Throne room in a famous series. Except that the throne was not made of iron but ochre stone, and its occupant was literally a monster.

Priam did not need to identify the monster to recognize it. He was facing a sitting and sleeping Sphinx. Which was an unusual position for a Sphinx from the statues he had seen.

The Baron watched the Viscount for a few moments. She was motionless, except for her chest, which swelled with her breathing. A human head was placed on a lion's body and eagle's wings. The beast’s face seemed appeased, and her hair looked like a golden mane. The monster projected a majestic and terrifying aura that paralyzed Priam for a few seconds. Officially, the Sphinx was still a Viscount, but she had the potential to become a Duke just by growing. In practical terms, the Viscount could already have claimed the title of Count. The Guardian of the Dome was not meant to be killed by a man.

Priam looked around the room again. Having seen the monster, he gave himself no more than a ten percent chance of victory. But he also knew that with two lives - maybe even three, thanks to the Phoenix Tear - he could put up a fight. His mist would help him dodge blows, and what better way to get ahead than to face an invincible Boss in a huge, aether-filled room?

Priam was finally paying attention, but the room was absolutely bursting with aether. The density was about the same in Elysium, and that meant something. Standing there, he could feel his cells activate and his body filled with energy. Smiling, Priam decided to give it a try.

A second glance told him about the specifics of the room. Four massive rock pillars supported the top of the hall, hundreds of meters above the ground. Titanic stained glass windows stood behind the throne. A colossal chandelier hung from the keystone, its mass approaching one hundred tons. In the middle of the room, just below the chandelier, a large well about five meters in diameter was filled with a black liquid - it wasn't the Sphinx's bathtub; she was far too massive to fit inside. Priam analyzed one by one the different elements of the place and the possibilities they offered.

He then moved forward a few meters before summoning his mist. The Sphinx was a Viscount, and he suspected that the mist would be of little use in camouflaging him, but he had other interests in using it.

Priam then poured the venom he had bought onto the tip of his spear. It certainly wouldn't be very effective, but it was probably better than nothing. Stretching for a few moments, he then got into a throwing position. He had chosen to form his mist like a thread that stopped a few meters from the Sphinx's head. The end of his mist thread, the tip of his spear, and the left eye of the Sphinx were aligned. This allowed him to aim without hitting the monster. Priam feared his mist would wake the Boss and didn't want to touch her before the fight started. He had the first shot and didn't want to waste it.

Priam focused on his mist. His instincts told him this was a bad idea. Yet he was more ready than he would ever be. He accumulated eight kinetic charges while jumping from the palace balcony at terminal velocity. His instincts persisted. The Sphinx was a Monster.

"That's what I must become if I want to be free," he muttered. "A Monster Hunter."

With an imperceptible gasp, Priam took three steps forward and threw his spear with all his might.

Lvl Up: [Throw] lvl 14,15
DEXT +2

Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)

PHYSICAL:
Strength 86
Constitution 103
Agility 122
Vitality 164
Perception 192

MENTAL:
Vivacity 135
Dexterity 116
Memory 36
Willpower 76
Charisma 90

META:
Meta-affinity 89
Meta-focus 60
Meta-endurance 4
Meta-chance 40

Potential: 231
Tier 0

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRIMED

[Tribulation]: A Tribulation is coming.
Time: 50 hours 35 minutes 57 seconds.