Rune Seeker

As soon as Li’l Ur spoke the name, another notification window popped up in front of Hiral.

The Lost Second-Skin of Amin Thett – Set – S-Rank

And, that wasn’t the only thing going on, a bloom of solar power emerging on his back. With his eyes widening – and his instincts screaming – Hiral untangled his fingers from Seena’s, activated Foundational Split, then launched himself away as fast as he could.

Not a moment too soon, either, the greatsword on his back demanding his attention. Feeling something was coming, Hiral took another leap forward, putting distance between himself and the others, and ripped the weapon from his back. As soon as the blade was free, it burst into its fallen-star form without a whit of solar energy from him. That alone would’ve been enough of a surprise, but the familiar chains erupting from the blade made his eyes widen.

Why does this only happen in dungeons…? Hiral had time to wonder before the whole zone began to shake. Cracks formed on the buildings around him, the floor below, and – most worryingly – on the ceiling above. A cave in? No, despite the shaking, the stone seemed to be holding. For now. Though, a small part of his brain wondered why it was the stone cracking, and not the reality of the dungeon itself, like when he’d try to force it back on Fallen Reach.

However, unlike that time, gravity didn’t try to crush Hiral into paste, and the seal-laden chains didn’t transform into hungry serpents made of the dark metal. Instead, the seals along one of the three chains wrapping the blade and extending long above it – as if they wrapped around the massive sword he’d summoned against the Fallen – began to burn. First the characters on the strange paper went up, the runes – yes, that was what they were! – vanished in a flash of combustion. The paper underneath didn’t last much longer.

Then the dark-metal chain itself began to crumble, like it was rusting to dust before Hiral’s eyes. It didn’t take more than a handful of seconds, and the chain was completely gone, leaving only two criss-crossed around the blade. Those chains – and their seals – held strong, even tightening on what they contained, before the ethereal vision faded.

All at once, the shaking of the dungeon ceased, although the cracks along the buildings and cavern remained. This awakening of the sword hadn’t revealed the strange gates he’d seen before in the space outside the dungeon. Thankfully. Those things still gave him nightmares. Well, when he wasn’t dreaming about dying… twice.

A shake of his head before the existential dread of the… nothing… that’d enveloped him during those brief seconds took over, and Hiral forced his thoughts back onto the sword in his hands. The fallen-star form had faded, and he was just about to wonder what had changed when a helpful notification window popped up.

You’ve recovered the forgotten name of a legendary—yet broken—S-Rank item, loosening the limiter on the weapon’s bound potential. Find a way to restore it to its original state.

Repair Progress: 50/100%

Hiral’s heart skipped a beat as he looked at the sword, power thrumming through it. He really had met another of the requirements to ‘repairing’ it. Though, maybe he’d been wrong about needing to physically fix it… because it was not his imagination the sword was actually shorter now. Not a lot shorter, but at least ten or fifteen percent. What if I…?

He started to thread solar energy into it, but as soon as he did, another notification sprung to life.

Dynamic Quest Complete – The Emperor’s Old Clothes

You have gathered all three pieces of the Lost Regalia of Amin Thett, also known as the Emperor.

Note: When in possession of all three pieces – The Ring of Amin Thett, The Second-Skin of Amin Thett, and the Greatsword of Amin Thett – grants access to Ability: Emperor’s Decree.

Emperor’s Decree: Abilities of one weapon stored within the Arsenal of Amin Thett can be imbued onto the bearer or the Greatsword of Amin Thett.

Note: Emperor’s Decree has a 1-minute cooldown, and abilities cannot be swapped within that time.

Hiral blinked again, while his heart skipped two beats this time. That… this…

“Wow…” he said, then finished threading solar energy into the Emperor’s Greatsword – No, the Greatsword of Amin Thett. Like before, the fallen-star form erupted in his hand, and, honestly, it didn’t feel much different. It was still an unfathomable S-Rank weapon, though restricted by his own B-Rank. But, that new ability… could it…

“Hiral!” Seena said over the party chat. “Was that you?”

“Or are you bringing a Mid-Boss to us?” Yanily asked.

“Never letting that go, are you?” Seeyela hissed.

“No Mid-Boss,” Hiral said. “But, yeah, that was me. Coming back now.”

Using his Party Interface as a guide, he prepared his Rune of Rejection to speed him back. Except, that new ability – Emperor’s Decree – practically called to him.

One small test…

With a thought, Hiral focused on Stormstrike and the two abilities it granted when he wielded it. Despite the weapon still being locked within the Ring of Amin Thett at his back, a phantasm of solar smoke stepped out of thin air in front of Hiral. Clad in sturdy leather armor, with a sword-hilt peeking above his right shoulder, the man was immediately recognizable.

Dal Fillion – the Refined Infested they’d fought back in The Buried City.

Hiral’s fingers tightened around the hilt of his greatsword, his body tensing for a rematch. Except, the phantasm in front of him didn’t lunge at him. He smiled. Then he stepped forward, his body destabilizing into solar smoke that washed over Hiral.

As it happened, Hiral could’ve Rejected the smoke, but the Regalia of Amin Thett told him it was okay. Not in words, or anything like that, but just that it felt natural. The next second, a window flashed and faded in Hiral’s vision. Thanks to the magic of the PIM, he didn’t need to read it to know what it said. He’d just been granted Stormstrike’s two abilities – Stormstep and Lightning Strike.

“Yan is going to be so jealous,” Hiral whispered, then launched forward as a bolt of lightning streaking across the dungeon. Well… streaking across a couple of blocks, the ability ending long before he got to the party. So, he just used it a second time. Then a third, crackling into the ground in front of the momentarily surprised party.

“What’s with the entrance?” Seena asked, then looked specifically at the greatswordin Hiral’s hand – not Stormstrike. “Wait… that’s not the right sword,” she said while looking for the sword floating beside him.

“I unlocked a new ability of the… the sword, I guess?” Hiral said. “The Greatsword of Amin Thett, not Stormstrike,” he clarified.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

“The greatsword of what now?” Seeyela asked.

“What happened to the Emperor’s Cheatsword?” Yanily asked. “Did you break it more?”

“Fixed it more, actually,” Hiral said, though when he looked at Yanily, he could see the spearman was just joking with him.

“The greatsword of…” Li’l Ur said, like more memories were resurfacing. “Yes… that’s… that’s what it is. Broken when he died, he left it behind for… for someone like you. Along with…”

“The Regalia of Amin Thett,” Hiral said. “Yeah.” With that, he shared the notification windows with the rest of the party.

“So, what, are you the next Emperor?” Drahn asked. “That’s the guy we talked about before? The dead one?”

That question caught Hiral off-guard – something about it annoying him – but before he could answer, Li’l Ur’s laugh interrupted him.

“Him, the next Emperor?” Li’l Ur said, actually doubling over he was laughing so hard. “No, never. The Emperor was a great man. I was his apprentice, when it came to runes.”

“But you just said the Emperor left his stuff for Hiral,” Seena said, an eyebrow raised at the cackling lich.

“For somebody like him,” Li’l Ur clarified while wiping at the luminescent blue tears running from his eyes. The gesture didn’t do anything – the blue lines seemed like a permanent mark of being undead. “Somebody with a connection to the runes. It could’ve been anybody.

“Well, almost anybody… within a restricted population,” Li’l Ur amended. “Before you ask, this leads back to your earlier question. No, not everybody can use runes – only some people. People who have… a knack for it, you could say. It’s probably how your PIMP separated out the Builder race. The others, your Makers, Growers, and Bonders, I suspect none of them have that connection.”

“You have it?” Yanily asked.

“Of course,” Li’l Ur said, sticking his chest out in pride. “And I was taught by the greatest rune user of them all – the Emperor himself.”

“What is that Regalia then?” Seeyela asked. “You said the sword broke when he died, and you took his clothes…”

“I didn’t take them off his dead body,” Li’l Ur seethed. “He gifted them to me prior to… his final battle. As for the Regalia, it’s like a training set. It will guide the wearer through using the runes, helping with the process.”

“Oh,” Hiral said, looking at the sword in his hand, and frowned. What was bothering him about this? And something was definitely bothering him. He’d been so proud to wield the Emperor’s Greatsword, and to put the Ring of Amin Thett back together. He thought he’d earned the Second-Skin of Ur’Thul – though only one of those names was technically still correct – but… what if that wasn’t it at all?

The PIMP had been responsible for placing the items in the reward chests. Was it just leading him along the whole time? Was that why he’d gotten S-Rank rewards? Not because of anything he’d done, but because the PIMP…

Because what? What does it even want? I know we’re supposed to fight the Enemy, except this seems different. What does it want from me? It is trying to make me into some kind of… replacement Emperor? Or… an echo of the Emperor?

Hiral’s fingers tightened around the sword’s hilt, anger sparking in his chest. He didn’t work so hard to get hand outs. He thought he was finally forging his own path – by his own hands – and now it seemed like that wasn’t true at all. He was…

“It’s like having a teacher?” Seena asked, interrupting Hiral’s spiraling thoughts – and his building anger.

“One that’s really soft,” Seeyela said over the party chat.

“Like having a teacher,” Li’l Ur agreed, though he ignored Seena’s sister. “The PIMP must have seen the same potential in you I have. Reforging the broken Ring, and assembling the Regalia are no small feats. Sure, the PIMP placed them in your hands, but it was you who did the work to truly bring them together again.”

The little lich’s words bounced around Hiral’s head. Was that how it was? Was he reading into things wrong? Hiral shook his head. He just didn’t know. He’d need more time to figure it out, and being angry wouldn’t help that.

With an effort of will, he pushed the anger back down in his chest – though an ember of it lingered – and looked up to listen to the rest of what Li’l Ur had to say.

“And, keep in mind, you’re not the first to wear the Second-Skin or wield what was the Emperor’s Greatsword.”

“Oh, right, the Little Queen?” Hiral said, thinking back to the legends about the sword. Well, technically about the tattoo… but it was seeming more and more that those tales were based on fact.

“I believe that was what they called her, though I only met her briefly,” Li’l Ur said.

“Was she another Progenitor?” Seeyela asked. “Like you and the Void-Venom Empress?”

“Oh, no,” Li’l Ur said. “She fought in our army. Took up Amin Thett’s broken sword when he fell to continue the fight. She was… impressive for her stature.”

“Stature?” Yanily asked.

“She was short,” Li’l Ur said. “Fully-grown, but seemingly forever trapped in the body of a twelve-year old. Though…” he looked down at himself, “apparently I am not one to talk.”

“You’re great just the way you are,” Seena cooed. “Much better than the bigger, eviler version we met before.”

“That explains the little part,” Yanily said. “Why was she a queen?”

Li’l Ur put a finger to his chin in thought. “Her magic manifested as a tiara of light above her head. But, back to my point. Even though others have held the same items you do, none have progressed quite so far with them. Not to mention your connection with the Edicts.”

“The sword still has two more seals on it,” Hiral said, heat running up his neck at the unexpected compliments. “So, my work isn’t quite done yet.”

“Neither is this dungeon,” Yanily pointed out. “We have to get back to that.”

“We do,” Hiral agreed. “Before that, though. Ur, you said the Emperor died in a battle? And the Little Queen took up the sword to continue that. What were you fighting that was powerful enough to kill him? Was it the Enemy?”

“Not just the Emperor,” Li’l Ur said. “Many Progenitors died in the war against… against…” he trailed off, shaking his head like he was trying to hold on to the memory. Up went his hands to the side of his skull, pressing to keep his thoughts in one piece. “Against…”

Li’l Ur’s arms flopped down to his side, the blue glow in his eye sockets dulling. “Mistress, I can’t remember. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, little guy,” Seena said, patting his head. “We’ve got our own battles to fight. We don’t need more enemies from… well… however long ago that was.”

“But it’s important,” Li’l Ur said. “I… don’t remember, but I know it is.”

That odd determination in the lull after Li’l Ur’s usual cycle of lucidity stopped everybody cold. The lich had never been able to push through before, to emphasize something.

It really must be important.

“Anything we can do to help?” Seena asked.

“I… I… your hair is pretty,” the lich said, even his voice losing the edge.

“Do you think,” Yanily started slowly. “Do you think he knows he’s going to be like this again? When he’s… smart, I mean?”

“I hope not,” Seena said, handing her pet a lock of her hair. “For being a legendary evil, he’s been a good little guy.”

“Reformed legendary evil,” Hiral reminded her. “Thanks to you.”

“Yeah,” she said, patting the lich, who practically purred against her hand. “Do you all think we should be worried about what they fought? That had to be a long time ago, right?”

“A long, long, long time ago,” Hiral said. “Remember, I got that notification saying I’d made the first A-Rank item in almost six-thousand years. That had to be from Dr. Benza’s time. This war Li’l Ur talked about, it must’ve been even before that. A long time before that.”

“We shouldn’t worry about it,” Drahn said, speaking up. “Not yet. We’ve got much more immediate concerns. This dungeon. Wule and Nivian. The raid zone. The Enemy. It’s not a short list. Let’s not add any more to it until we need to.”

Hiral only needed a few seconds to consider the older man’s words before nodding along. “Quite a lot of wisdom in that.”

“I agree with Drahn,” Seeyela said. “So, let’s take care of the first item – the next Mid-Boss.”