Dark Matter Ascension

Jace kept pulling himself over the waves as he lobbed ideas back and forth with Ollie about a new Talent to acquire with his level up. "I don't really have a Psykinetics focused ranged attack," Jace said. "But the Void Beam pretty much covers that."

I do not believe that Void Beam will harm a pure barrier of Psykinetic energy from a higher Potency individual – which we have not encountered yet, Ollie replied. I find it odd that the Astral Demons thus far have not had shielding Talents. Those types of Skills were almost always present with Aspirants back in our universe.

"I think it might be because they know they can lose some Essence and come back," Jace replied. The deep, inky waves below shifted to a black hue and Jace chose to ascend to a higher elevation to ensure he was further from whatever might lurk below. "They aren't afraid of being hurt. It's reckless."

Fair enough. I believe we should consider looking at a [Specialization] instead. Ollie's voice sounded confident, and his deep rumbling tones were reassuring to hear echoing through Jace's mind. I would say let us use that [Specialization] on Valiant Crusader's Might.

"Okay, if you think it is smart."

Initializing Astral System interface!

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[You have chosen Specialization of Existing Talent!]

[Talent Name: Valiant Crusader's Might.]

[Specialization Name: Vengeful.]

[Effect: The user may injure themselves to deliver a Psykinetic empowered strike.]

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Well, that combined with your Power Through Skill is going to make you a deadlier combatant. No more waiting to be injured to gain the percentage damage increase; you can inflict it upon yourself.

Jace felt some dismay. "I'm not a masochist," he muttered. "But these Specializations stack, don't they?"

Yup!

"At least it's something I have to activate." Jace went silent as he contemplated the new [Specialization] and its ramifications for his combat style. It means I can go back towards the <Wrathblade> tactics to an extent. The issue I'll have to deal with is that I can't count on Void Shield in this part of reality. If I chose to injure myself to get this empowered strike – whatever that looks like or how that acts – then I'll need to consider the possible harm that will then come my way.

Ollie did not reply, but Jace could feel the concern his Wayfinder had towards his thoughts. The constant presence in his mind thanks to the Verge Protocol merging them. Then, a sense of comfort. It will be fine, Ollie said. Just give it a test in a low-stakes encounter.

Jace looked out across the watery expanse, "I don't think we are going to get one of those anytime soon. Show me my status screen." The pink-on-black text appeared in his vision.

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Name: Jace Seren (Potency 1)

Emotion [Class Level]: Valiant [Crusader 3]

Talent [Specialization]: Astral Adaptation, Astral Translation, Valiant Crusader's Might [Vengeful], Crusader's Bastion, Hero's Arena

Essence: 800

Infusions: None

Gear: <TPSB>, (Convergent Edge) Hero's Blade, (Medium / Snowguard / Burnguard / Repairing \\ Beacon) Reaper Armor, (Thrice Judged / Soul Tether) Anathema Arms, (Overclocked / Lightfoot) Anathema Legs, (Terrifying / Sealing) All-Seeing Dragon's Eyes, (Anathema) Primal Hide, (Flexible) Adamantine Skeleton, (Reactive) NICIF

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"You sure about it?" the voice asked over the psy-speaker.

"Positive," Moltrinoch replied as he kept trailing the Dreamer up above. There was a brief shimmer of gold, and he recognized the slight glow of a level up that faded after an instant. "And he is getting stronger. You had better hurry. I need your help to take him down."

"We are close," the voice replied. "The four of us together should be able to take him down."

Moltrinoch put the psy-speaker back onto his belt as he kept dashing through the waters. Idiot, he thought. It will be you three against this Dreamer, and I will swoop in at the end, secure the kill, and then I will get that Infusion.

His psy-speaker vibrated once more, and he picked it up, placing it to his temple. The voice that came through to his mind was that of his employer. "Moltrinoch, I need you back here." Riscarn sounded…slightly concerned.

Unusual, Moltrinoch thought, I've only heard him sound angered or aggrieved. Something must be off. "What is wrong?"

"These blasted insects! They are irritating me, and I want them gone! We'll deal with this Dreamer later."

He must be desperate, Moltrinoch thought. He glanced up at the Dreamer grapple-flying above. And an idea went through his mind. An evil, nefarious idea. "I'll be back there as soon as possible. Are the rest being recalled?"

"Just you." The voice was colder, less concerned. More calculating. "I need my tactician here."

"Will do." He put the psy-speaker down. Then, Moltrinoch breached the surface, "Hey! Dreamer!"

Jace turned, drawing his sword and activating his combat suite of Skills as he heard a voice from the waves below. An Astral Demon who looked like a horrible facsimile of Shhiv's species, the Churkun. Deep, charcoal-black hide with jagged, grey stripes. Powerful limbs with razor-sharp fins along the forearms and shins. Covered in glittering, shimmering armor that hugged their spiked carapace. The face, though, is what was most disturbing. It was…banal. Bland. A regular human's face.

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The figure floated upward – not propelling itself on wings, but hovering. "I'm Moltrinoch, and I think we can help each other."

Jace frowned, "What do you want?"

"You seek something. Tell me, and we may be able to help each other."

What do you think? Jace asked Ollie in his mind.

Ollie's voice was cool and calculating, going through trillions of possible scenarios before he replied. He is most likely trying to play you. But let us play along for now. Perhaps we can find information.

Jace addressed the demon calling itself Moltrinoch, "I seek the next Layer."

"Then you are in luck, as I know where that is." The figure kept ascending until it was on Jace's level. "Now for my turn." They grinned, "After all, we should always be copacetic with new possible allies. You are being hunted."

"No shit," Jace replied. "I presume the one with the axe and bow?"

"That is correct. Those two were trailing you – as was I, but for a different reason altogether. There are three more coming. They will be here soon, and attack from below." He pointed down to the waters beneath. "I propose we help each other…my master Riscarn the render is being assaulted by the Gyanv species. I would love his throne. I help you against my former companions, and you help me take the throne for myself."

Thoughts? Jace asked Ollie.

Hmm. Ollie once more went into calculating mode and his cool voice persisted. This could very easily be a ruse, but he told you about this impending attack. I would advise we go along with it for now – but when possible, tag him with a Void Brand. That way, we can track him no matter where he goes as long as he is on this Layer of the Astral Verge.

Jace grappled over towards this figure and kept his sword loose in his other hand, in a non-hostile gesture. "Very well. I'll team up with you against this Riscarn."

The figure pointed down and to an island, "I would recommend not being up here while fighting Riscarn's hunters. They are…Potency 2. Each of them."

Jace grinned, "Then they don't stand a chance." He used his grapple to descend down to a rocky, stone-covered outcropping on a roughly octagonal shaped island. He ensured all of his Skills and Talents were active, including Hero's Arena, but willed the aura to not harm Moltrinoch. The demon floated down and stood at the edge of the aura. "You can enter," Jace stated with confidence. "It will not harm you."

Jace saw an emotion other than confidence cross Moltrinoch's face – a flicker of fear. But he took a tentative step forward into the golden, flaming aura, flinching slightly as he did so. But then he grinned and let out a cackling laugh. "I have never encountered a [Crusader] who was willing to work with a demon."

"There is no one like me," Jace replied. Void Brand (Rank 1), he thought as he walked over to Moltrinoch. "I'm Wraith," he said as he held out his hand.

Moltrinoch looked down, then reached over and clasped Jace's forearm, "Well met."

Jace saw the only-visible-to-him white-grey brand appear on the demon's arm. Done, he thought to Ollie.

Good. Now I can track him anywhere he goes. And, in a pinch, we can begin spreading the mark – eventual death.

I can still hit him to speed up the spread, correct?

Yup!

Jace heard splashes of water, and his [Danger-Sense] went off. He jumped up, spun in mid-air, and dodged several Psykinetic projectiles in a rapid horizontal acrobatic move before landing back on his feet. Turning, he faced one of the combatants that had breached the surface nearby.

All three were covered in lightweight armor, with crackling weapons brimming with Psykinetic energy of varying hues. The one he was faced toward looked like an anthropomorphized eagle, with a bird-of-prey head and beak that was distorted and warped with jaws akin to a bear's mouth. The body of a hulking brute, and a stocky set of legs that were broad as tree trunks. A figure who was easily five feet taller than Jace.

Their spear arced with cascading silver before a beam of light lanced forth. Jace dodged it, and thanks to his [Danger Sense] also rolled out of the other two beams coming from other angles. They are staying out of my Hero's Arena, Jace thought as he came up from his roll, deflected another beam whilst blocking another with the Crusader's Bastion.

"What are you-!" He glanced aside and saw Moltrinoch engaging with one who was some type of sick amalgamation of squid and shellfish, covered with beady eyes that were ringed with flame. The demon that Jace had temporarily aligned himself with was jabbing with rapid thrusts of a dagger and was being pierced by spines – but seemed heedless of harm suffered.

That cements it, Ollie stated whilst Jace kept dodging the hail of beams, tossing his sword at and scoring hits on the two demons who were witless to the damage over time they were inflicted with. They fight recklessly because they know they can recover quickly.

Jace grinned, knowing that due to the fact of Void being nonexistence incarnate, there was no way that these Astral Demons knew the real danger they were in. He just had to keep dodging, throwing his blade, and even if he did become injured he could just get some distance and wait for them to expire.

But he had a new Talent to try, and a new weapon that was arcing with golden light. Summoning it to his hand, he activated Void Step (Rank 17), warping behind the first demon with the spear. Convergent Edge, he thought as he activated the combined (Augmentations). (Fulmination) exploded with power as a wave of golden Psykinetic energy surged along the length and exploded outward.

And that is when Jace saw a potentially broken combination. (Fulmination) could use an Emotional, Cosmic, or Ascended power as the damage type. But Void Blade stacked on top of the Valiant Emotion Source. So the explosive slice of golden flame was followed by a slight reverberation of white-grey Void. He cut clean through the middle of the demon, and its two halves fell to smoking ruin at his feet. They faded to nothingness as the Essence sucked up into him.

Looking at the other one who he had not focused on; an ugly facsimile of an angel with spiked, black wings adorned with chains and holding a large mace glowing with lightning – Jace used Void Step (Rank 17) and appeared in front of them. Time to try this out. [Vengeful].

His breath left him as he felt an excruciating pain in his stomach, and glancing down he saw a wound open up along his gut that was being patched up by the NICIF. But his weapon brimmed with golden flames before exploding into a raging inferno. The heat was palpable, and the demon before Jace turned to try and fleet, attempting to sink into the water. The flames of Hero's Arena were flickering, constantly ripping and tearing as they tried to flee.

Jace used Void Step again – this time at (Rank 1), appeared before them under the waves, and cut them in half. The golden flame exploded in a burst that arced up out of the water and sent the Astral Demon flying; their body disintegrating with the power of Void as they ascended. Jace quickly grappled up – getting to them before the waves even had time to collapse into the gap, and sucked up the Essence.

Glancing down he saw the two other demons still going at it. Taking aim, he threw his sword – impaling the more monstrous one grappling with Moltrinoch through the head. The figure went limp for a brief moment, and Jace grappled down; grabbing his sword and ripping it out in a sweeping arc as he cut the top half of the head off in one smooth motion. Spinning with his momentum, he chopped through the legs.

The demon fell and vanished. Total of three-hundred Essence there, bringing you up to one-thousand one-hundred, Ollie advised.

Jace looked over at Moltrinoch as he sheathed his sword and let his Skills and Talents deactivate. The demon looked confused. "How…how did you permanently kill them?"

Jace tapped the hilt of the Hero's Blade. "Psykinetic empowered weaponry," he stated. "Surely you know that this is something the [Crusader] Class is capable of?"

The demon looked aggrieved at the slight presumption, and frowned as their body began to regenerate. Slowly regenerate. They sheathed their dual daggers and sighed, "Not as much as you would think. Good to know you can handle yourself even when outnumbered."

"Then let's go." Jace used his grapple and began traveling to the east, with the demon quickly catching up and taking the lead.