Dark Matter Ascension

Jace looked to Xera, "The Pulsar Coalition is ready?"

She nodded, "I have prepared the vessel taken from Deckard. You will go to Nihilethelea and travel on that vessel with several Pulsar Coalition members…effectively, all of them. This is an all-out assault. It's what Zzorth built the faction to do, so she is throwing everything she has into this effort. You will be on that ship for a few days."

Xera looked to the other three, "You will be in one of my prepared chambers, where I can send you into the isolated depths of The Cosmic System where Troxanir's tethered form resides. I have received…odd scans from that sector. Probably some defenses you will have to deal with."

Greg grinned, "I get to beat up the guy who took so many from me…no defenses will keep me from getting revenge."

"Level up, Ascend, spend Stardust with Quinn's help through the digitized market…and get ready." Xera vanished.

Jace put a hand on Priam's shoulder and gave it a light squeeze, "Good luck. Not that you need it. But still."

Priam looked up at him and nodded before giving a thumbs up, "I'll be fine."

Jace gave Greg a curt nod, with no words needing to be exchanged between the two. Jace had no concern about Greg surviving his Ascension Trial. Facing Dee, he spoke softly, "I know you and I don't know each other as well as I know these guys…but thank you for keeping them safe and stopping the people who wanted to hurt them."

"No problem," Dee replied as she went over to Priam and reached down, gripping his hand gently. "We'll all pass, become Ascendants, get that awesome sounding Limit Break…we'll be fine."

Jace went to the elevator and punched the button for Quinn's floor.

Quinn had already picked out her Skills, knew what she wanted to spend her remaining Stardust on – putting it into an investment outlet for future use – and had prepared her Astral System integration thanks to the scans Xera ran during Jace's experience. My Ascension Trial should be relatively easy, she thought. No Wayfinder to guide my path, no problem.

-----

Name: Quinn Cipher (Aspirant, Tier 10)

Power [Class Level]: Star [Broker <Celestial Coordinator> 100] / Exoplanet [Reality Strategist <Tactician> 100]

Skill Name (Rank) [Evolutions]: Universal Translation, Environmental Adaptation, Broker's Instinct (Rank 8), Broker's Contract (Rank 20), Broker's Fee (Rank 16), Cosmic Infusion (Rank 10), Magic World Interface (Rank 10), Magitech World Interface (Rank 10), Technology World Interface (Rank 10), Other Realm Interface (Rank 5), Celestial Observer (Rank 1), Coordinator's Critical Gaze (Rank 10), Coordinator's Warning System (Rank 9), Stratagem (Rank 63) [Mobility][Obliteration][Bulwark][Grounded][Resolved][Chaos Strike][Shattered Views][Slip Away][Skip][Time Lock], Inter-reality Relay Network (Rank 5), Tactician's Orders (Rank 5), Grand Tactics (Rank 10), Advanced Tactics (Rank 10), Reality's Order (1/day)

Stardust: 0

Equipment: Reality Interface, Broker's starting gear, Webwalker Implants, Pheracorp Bionic Brain Mk. 1, Pheracorp Bionic Eyes Mk. 1, TPSB

Boons: Uncommon (Variable)

-----

Advanced Tactics (Rank 10) – As Rank 1, but offset energy expenditure by 90%.

-----

She immediately activated the Ascension Trial protocols and the world around her vanished for a brief instant before she was met with an extremely complicated series of tasks that required her to leverage every asset of being a Broker she had developed. Her ability to buy and sell products and information, to find information in the first place, and then find people to sell to.

It was tedious busy work that she was more-than-capable of managing. And it happened in a weird, compressed bubble of time so that no actual, real-world time would pass. She experienced what could have been days of monotonous busy-work that did not really test her talents. And when the message telling her she completed that part of the Trial concluded, she was then put into a scenario she had also prepared for thanks to Xera's advice.

She was overseeing a massive battle in real time. Given the role of the master tactician, she deftly moved about the units, gave orders, directives, managed an entire space armada engaging with an Astral Realm based invasion, and had a blast doing it. She did not recall the last time she was challenged in such a way, and there were a few instances where she could have taken several courses of action, but she had to think through every possible outcome to find the most optimal solution.

She barely passed.

These Trials are no joke, she thought as she was standing above the black waters of the Starlit Sea. And now…this part. She had been dreading this. The idea of being sucked down into darkness and having to fight her way up, struggling against the System itself, was something she dreaded.

The water became liquid and she fell into the depths. Crushing blackness pressed against her from all sides, and she found all air escaping her lungs as she tried to find the handle on the bottom that she had been advised of. Gripping it, she tried to push off the bottom.

But nothing happened.

Is this where I die? She thought. Alone in the depths of The Cosmic System? She pushed. Struggled with all of her might to swim up through the black seas.

And yet she stay still. Awareness began to fade, and she felt herself drifting. A glimmering sparkle of deep, vibrant, blue light pierced through the darkness, and she heard Xera's voice. "I figured you would struggle with this part. Come on. Let's get you out of the depths."

The box she was gripping slipped from her fingers, and Quinn was yanked up above the black waters. She sucked in a deep breath. Xera, somehow, was standing in the liminal space. "I…how?"

"Tech Support has their means of access," Xera replied. "I do not believe you are capable enough to pull The Cosmic System along with you."

Quinn felt her throat tightening, "That means I'll die," she whispered. "No immortality, spending my life however I want to."

Xera shrugged, "If my plan comes to fruition, that will not matter. But this also means you cannot use the Astral System or leave our Universe – not that that was ever part of the plan."

Quinn stood up on shaking legs. "I'm Tier 10 but still an Aspirant."

"Correct."

"And I'll never be able to Ascend?"

"You could, but you need something to really believe in. To fight for. Jace had Shhiv and Chroma. But you? You have few ties save your parents. No real goal you are struggling to reach. The deeper one is in the System, the more motivation one must have to bring it up with them."

Quinn chuckled and shook her head, "I just get to be the support coordinator behind the scenes."

"Just like me."

"And when I die, if we've set up this pipeline to the afterlife-"

"I'll have a cloned body ready to receive your soul. You'll have immortality…but in a different way. As will all species in our universe. If you'll excuse me." Xera snapped her fingers, and Quinn found herself sitting in her chair once more.

There was a knock on the door to her apartment, and she keyed the access code for it to open. Jace came in, "You look like you've been through hell," he said as Ollie floated in behind him.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

Quinn filled him in on what happened, ending with, "I'm relying on you, Jace. I don't want to die."

His smile was reassuring, and he nodded, "I'll try my best. Now, about spending this Stardust."

"I am investing mine," Quinn replied as she tried to forget the fact that she failed her Ascension Trial. "It should be able to get some return on interest, similar to the pre-corpo-war stock market."

"Why not use it on stuff now?" Jace asked.

Quinn smirked, "Savings. Say you get Chroma back. She grows up, and has to choose Civilian or Aspirant. If she chose Aspirant, you could give her a ton of Stardust from your personal reserves by assigning a very easy Quest right off the get-go for her Aspirant Trial. All of that stockpiled and invested Stardust given in a single, big burst."

Jace's face lit up, "That is genius. Okay, take my Stardust and invest it. I'm going to make sure Chroma has a way easier time leveling up than I did."

"Depending on how long it takes to make this tunnel," Quinn stated as she began processing the Stardust into her accounts to then use in the market, "You might have enough to instantly get her to Tier 10."

Dee breached the surface of the Starlit Sea. She was exhausted, but let out a laugh from her warbling goopy center as she held the cube close to her chest. Her Wayfinder, Miku, was swirling in circles above her, speaking with confidence and losing the stutter for the first time since Dee was joined by the companion.

"You've done it! Congratulations!"

I did it because of her, she thought as she pictured her sister, Ree. I did it for us, she thought as she pictured Priam. You'll finish your Trial, I know you will. She looked up at Miku, "What now?"

"We have to finalize your readout for The Cosmic System, and do your Limit Break."

"Limit Break first," Dee replied. "Since that will update the Skill readout on my Status screen anyways."

-----

[Using Boon: Limit Break (Skill Ascension).]

[Applying to Skill.]

[Skill Name: Demolisher's Devastation.]

[Ascended Power applied: Flux.]

[Soul Energy Coefficient = 100%.]

[Rank Reset forced.]

[Initializing…]

-----

[New Skill Name: Oblivion Bolt (Rank 1).]

[Effect: The user fires a bolt of Cosmic Power, Ascended Power, or anti-matter at a target within line of sight.]

-----

Name: Deasyl 'Dee' Luna (Ascendant, Tier 10)

Power [Class Level]: Nebula [Blaster <Artillerist> 100] / Flux [Demolisher <Obliterator> 100]

Skill Name (Rank) [Evolutions]: Universal Translation, Environmental Adaptation, Energy Cost Reduction (Rank 10) [Goop Replacement], Cosmic Infusion (Rank 10), Oblivion Bolt (Rank 1) [Blast][Beam][Cone][Eruption][Cloud][Trap][Broadside], Artillerist's Acumen (Rank 6) [Zeroed In], Artillerist's Discipline (Rank 5) [Empowering Exclusion], Overflowing Obliteration (Rank 1), Evolution Stack (Rank 1), Spinal Laser (1/day), Desert's Shield (1/day), Arbiter's Anathema (1/day)

Stardust: 131,546

Equipment: Desert God Guard, Artillerist's Ingram, TPSB, Everfall Kite, Anathema Eye

Boons: None

-----

"What about this Astral System thing?" Dee asked.

Miku frowned and her voice returned to its slight stutter, "O-o-only J-j-jace f-f-for n-n-now."

"Why?"

Xera appeared next to Dee, causing her to jump slightly. "Because I do not want multiple Signers venturing into the Astral Verge," she replied. "There are two reasons. The first is that I want my most powerful assets to be able to defend the singularity-funnel at a moment's notice. And second…if Jace fails, I will need to have backups to send to try and accomplish my plan."

That's fair enough, Dee thought. It's always smart to have backups.

Priam was absolutely pooped. He coughed and curled into a ball around the weird cube thing he had dredged up. His breath came to him in shallow bursts, as if he had been running for several miles. I…whew…lot of…running…

That was most of his Ascension Trial – moving, healing, and supporting others. And the inky blackness he had to fight his way through was a nuisance in comparison. In fact, swimming up was rather easy.

Bloopa, floating above him, spoke her mind through her fractal shapes and altered crystalline structures. I would wager something to do with soul energy coefficient plays into Ascension.

"And…we get…that Limit Break…right?"

We can do it right now.

-----

[Using Boon: Limit Break (Skill Ascension).]

[Applying to Skill.]

[Skill Name: Exarch's Ward.]

[Ascended Power applied: N/A – divine soul magic applied.]

[Soul Energy Coefficient = 100%.]

[Rank Reset forced.]

[Initializing…]

-----

Unyielding Bastion (Rank 1) – The user creates a barrier of divine energy around any number of targets (up to Tier). This barrier will absorb all incoming damage, halving the amount suffered before applying to the shield itself.

-----

Name: Priam Westerfold (Ascendant, Tier 10)

Power [Class Level]: Pulsar [Priest <Seraph> 100] / Gigastar [Exarch <Cultivator of Bonds> 100]

Skill Name (Rank) [Evolutions]: Universal Translation, Environmental Adaptation, Cosmic Infusion (Rank 10) [Innervating], Unyielding Bastion (Rank 1) [Multi-Target], Exarch's Seraphic Soothe (Rank 17) [Contingent][Regeneration][Stored][Recursive][Overheal][Ward Mending][Chaining][Wave][Full Heal][Gravewaker][Viral], Exarch's Blessing (Rank 3) [Enduring], Energy Cost Reduction (Rank 10) [Alternate Source], Wrath of the Gods (Rank 5), Heavenly Smite (Rank 17) [Marking], Fount of Energy (Rank 5) [Multi-Target], Unbreakable Bonds (Rank 13), Empowering Aura (Rank 14), Ishtar's Embrace (1/day), Energy Drain (1/day), Rapturous Release (1/day), Arbiter's Anathema (1/day)

Stardust: 131,546

Equipment: (Light / Life Screen) Archpriest Vestments, (Conservation) Soul Warden Writ, (Insightful) Dad's Hat, (Light) Venture Pack, (Overcharged) Argent Reservoir, Resplendent Reservoir, survival meals (x100), enhanced canteen, optimized medical kit, Power Hammer, TPSB, Anathema Bo Staff

Boons: Uncommon (Variable)

-----

Xera appeared next to Priam, "I'm giving you the same message I gave Dee. First off, congratulations. Second…you are not going to be integrating with the Astral System."

Priam frowned, "Why not?"

"I need you, Dee, and Greg as a backup, reserve squad in case Jace cannot accomplish what he needs to. I want that extra layer of security available."

"But he needs me!" Priam almost shouted back at her. He pushed himself to his feet. "I heal him, I protect him. Without me…he could die!"

Xera arched one eyebrow in a quizzical fashion, "Your support for your allies is commendable…but the Astral Verge is going to be extremely dangerous. A single operative, traveling alone through that place, might be our best bet at finding the Nethershift, getting Jace through that, and establishing this tunnel to the afterlife."

Priam wanted to argue back, to tell Xera that she was wrong, that him and Jace could do it together. That Dee and Greg would be able to help out. But he also knew first hand that Jace could take care of himself. Nihilethelea was proof enough of that. Earth when they split off to tackle Pheracorp. Poltor Six when Priam wasn't even there. He's always been a bit of a lone wolf operator, Priam thought.

He looked into Xera's purple eyes and nodded tersely, "Fine. But the second we find out that Jace is in trouble in the Astral Verge, we are going in after him."

"That is something I am amenable to."

Greg's Ascension Trial was what he expected – war. Something that never, ever changed. People fighting for some cause or another. He had to fight, protect, and make judgement calls in the moment. But his years of military, special forces, and intelligence experience paid off in spades as he was able to breeze through the challenges.

Even the blackness of The Cosmic System could not hold him back. The love for his Missy was so strong, he was able to break through the blackness surrounding him with ease. His desire for revenge against Troxanir, to get everyone he loved and lost back from beyond death itself…what System could hold a candle to that level of determination?

-----

[Using Boon: Limit Break (Skill Ascension).]

[Applying to Skill.]

[Skill Name: Emergency Curative.]

[Cosmic Power applied: Planet.]

[Soul Energy Coefficient = 100%.]

[Rank Reset forced.]

[Initializing…]

-----

Emergency Curative (Rank 1) - The user heals all injuries or all afflictions affecting them. Additionally if the user were to perish from injury, this Skill automatically triggers.

-----

-----

Name: Greg Bhastal (Ascendant, Tier 10)

Power [Class Level]: Planet [Warrior <Eternal Bulwark> 100] / Supermassive [Juggernaut <Revenger> 100]

Skill Name (Rank) [Evolutions]: Universal Translation, Environmental Adaptation, Weapon Training (Rank 10), Armor and Shield Training (Rank 5), Power Strike (Rank 11), Energy Cost Reduction (Rank 10), Cosmic Infusion (Rank 10), Series of Strikes (Rank 10), Aggravating Presence (Rank 10), Ceaseless Vigil (Rank 4), Bulwark's Defenses (Rank 20), Eternal Guardian (Rank 10), Emergency Curative (Rank 1), Indomitable Juggernaut (Rank 70), Singularity Soul (Rank 6), Revenger's Reprisal (Rank 10), Mark of Retribution (Rank 14), Arbiter's Anathema (1/day)

Stardust: 40,546

Equipment: (Channeling) Devastator Sniper Rifle, (Heavy / Aquatic) Exo-planet Power Armor, Beamblade Emitter, TPSB, Anathema Straight Sword, survival meals (x100)

Boons: None

-----

Mark of Retribution (Rank 15) – As Rank 1, and the user may target 14 additional entities.

-----

Xera appeared next to him, "And now you have what you wanted. Immortality."

"What I want is Missy's longevity," Greg replied as he stood up and faced down the smaller woman. "I want my end of the bargain held up."

"It has been fulfilled," Xera replied. "You have seen that in action when she perished in the church bombing."

Greg grimaced, knowing that he had paid a heavy price for keeping his Missy safe. That he had betrayed his own code. That he had joined a faction when he had no intention of taking any sides, and just being a lone operative supporting his wife.

But deeper than that, he had betrayed his values. He had sworn himself to working for a government-like entity that was just as ruthless and hostile as the megacorps back on Earth were. "Once we deal with Troxanir, and this pipeline thing is established…I'm done. I won't work for you anymore."

"Fair enough. You will not have access to the Astral System unless Jace fails in his task, at which point you-"

"I'll have to go with the B team to finish the job," Greg replied. "It would be better to have us four together."

"I disagree," Xera replied. "Jace is better on his own. No one else to worry about. Just him, Ollie, and Quinn providing support. Plus, I am sure he will very much appreciate you keeping Shhiv safe. Whilst factions might not be currently vying to harm her – especially since Wraith is an unknown variable – some may hold a grudge against the "dead" Flicker, and choose to go after her."

"I'll keep his girl safe," Greg replied. "But that's something I'm doing for Jace. Not for you."

"Fair enough."