NOVEL WEB 183. Logan's First Run
“No fucking way!” exclaims Logan once he’s wearing the armor and sees how his innate Class abilities make the armor three times as powerful as it should be. The armor even adjusts to his shorter height. He’s big for a 13 year old, but still only five and a half feet tall.
“Logan!” scolds Dana, but not too severely. “I think what you mean is thank you, Uncle Bronwic. Maybe even… I owe you one?”
Dana looks at me with real thanks, and an amount of affection that was never there before the Influx. Back then, I was an emotionally stunted ice hockey enforcer without much to add to a family dynamic when I occasionally showed up, and a string of girlfriends that probably didn’t set the best example for a young family. Now at least I’m very aware of my impact on those who are close to me. The other kids are in the next room eating pizza and playing with some old school wooden blocks and mini cars.
I pull up Logan’s information through my SMI with a small flex of my will.
Logan Cadimus (Level 3 Kinetic Manipulator) (Enhanced Mythic)
Health: 550/550
Mana: 160/160
Conditions: Accelerated Metabolism, Lightning Reflex, Untouched, Speed Force
I know from the notifications he shared with me just after the Influx he also has a Kinetic Affinity and a Time Affinity, both of which have an undefined classification on potential like my Dimensional Manipulation Affinity. I can’t help but wonder how those Affinities will develop as he uses them, and how they might synergize with his Class.
“Let me see your Status sheet?” I ask Logan. He doesn’t hesitate to send it to me with a gesture.
Status Overview
Name
Logan Cadimus
Class
Kinetic Manipulator
Race
Human (male)
Level
3
Titles
Influx Origins, Savant
Health
550
Health Regeneration
71 /min
Stamina
550
Stamina Regeneration
71 /min
Mana
160
Mana Regeneration
13 /min
Status Conditions
None
Attributes
Strength
29 (150)
Perception
22 (175)
Constitution
55 (150)
Charisma
14 (35)
Agility
34 (250)
Luck
106 (90)
Aura
16 (75)
Mana
16 (75)
SMI Skills and Affinities
Observe
3
Kinetic Sense
3
Affinity - Unclassified
Kinetic
Affinity - Unclassified
Time
Class Specific SMI Dynamics
Accelerated Metabolism
3 (+30% Health and Stamina Regen)
Lightning Reflexes
3 (+9% Dodge)
Untouched
3 (Tier 1 Base Kinetic Fluidity)
Speed Force
3 (+15% Physical Damage)
Damage Reduction
50%
Tech functionality
+200%
Mental Resistance
20%
All Resistances
40%
Class Skills
None
Spells
Minor Healing
1
Just like when I took an Enhanced Mythic Class, Logan doesn’t have access to his Class Skills yet, so for a while we’re going to have to give him every advantage we can and Level him up to gain access and the armor is a massive, almost unfair, leg up. I can see why Credits still play a major part in being able to advance to higher Levels safer, but I wonder if Logan’s Leveling speed will be diminished because of the armor. At least the first few Levels require so little XP it won’t matter.
“You’ve still got a long way to go before you’ve built up enough Attributes that you can get your Class Skills, just like I did,” I comment, and Logan nods.
“Hey Logan, I know the armor doesn’t look as cool as Sentinel armor, but that’s the point,” says Carter to Logan, like any Dad would. He’s clearly still a bit worried someone’s going to shank Logan for his gear, or that Logan’s going to reject my gift because it doesn’t look cool enough.
“Dad, I get it. Are you kidding? This is amazing! Thank you Uncle Bronwic. It’s worth at least ten Levels of Attribute increases and it’s going to be a while until I get my Class Skills. Right now it feels like my brain isn’t braining, but I’ll definitely get used to this. I need some practice.”
I pull an open plastic tub from my Inventory that’s full of weapons, mostly blasters and highly technical weapons rather than old school guns. I’m guessing that Logan’s Class abilities will activate on a blaster and potentially make the damage an extra 200% of impact. Worth experimenting, so I slide it over to him.
“I’ve also brought some extra weapons Logan. Everything from longer range blasters to katars for close quarter fighting. I don’t know what kind of a style you’ll develop and this should give you a chance to build up your skills. The armor should keep you alive, but don’t rely on it too much, or you might find yourself in a situation you can’t get out of.”
“Pretty rich coming from you,” says Logan, like most 13 year olds would. I raise an eyebrow at him and for a couple of seconds he grins at me. When I don’t break his gaze he looks down nervously realizing maybe this is a topic I’m not fucking around on. I’ll take a lot of shit from my nephew, but he needs to take his own survival seriously.
“Thanks Bronwic,” he says, and rummages through what’s in the tub before sweeping it into his Inventory.
“That’s very generous, Bronwic,” says Dana. She brushes her hair back from her face and glances over to the next room then gives me a smile of thanks.
“Dana, we’re going to take Logan to the Fish Creek Dungeon while Bronwic’s still here,” says Carter. “You ok to look after the others?”
Logan looks at us in surprise and then over to his Mom, knowing she is probably calling the shots, although in my opinion if she objects I’m comfortable giving up all the good will I’ve built up with her to take Logan anyway.
“Of course. A Cadimus boys adventure, eh? I wish it was a pre-Influx fishing trip instead, but this is our new reality,” she says with a shrug and a shake of the head. “I appreciate you doing this Bronwic, while he gets used to the armor.”
As always, Dana is practical and sees straight through why this is needed right now. I’m glad I don’t need to sacrifice our relationship.
Logan, Carter, and I say our goodbyes and set a course to the Dungeon together, a winding and twisting 5km through the streets of Calgary. We take as much time as we need and nobody feels a rush to get there. Logan flips, jumps, slides, and ricochets off buildings and vehicles while trying to control his new Strength and Agility. It’s hilarious at first, but more quickly than I expected he begins to integrate it into the way he moves. He’s always been clever and picked up new things fast; I can only assume his new Class is doing some heavy lifting too.
Even boosted, Logan’s Agility is only half of mine so I take turns with him. Each of us leads and follows in the most advanced session of parkour ever to hit the streets. After the first hour, Carter and I randomly fire flames and bullets at Logan so he has to dodge without warning. It might feel mean to some that he occasionally gets hit by a shot, but they don’t really hurt him much and it’s is a great teacher. With my incredibly enhanced Perception, I can already see his innate Untouched Class ability and his Kinetic Affinity taking the energy from my bullets as they get close and redirecting it into extra speed for him to tap into.
Bystanders dodge or react as we pass by, until they see Carter’s well known and recognized flame form flying with us. Twice I need to stop someone from attacking Logan because they want to help Carter to chase down whatever criminal or invader is in the suit. We get a good chuckle both times and Carter commits to introducing Logan, with his new armor, to the main players in Calgary. Random people are unlikely to be powerful enough to bother Logan, but some of the heavy Mythic Class hitters or Advanced Class teams could make his life miserable or make a massive mistake.
A couple hours later we’re standing in front of the main Fish Creek Park Dungeon, a simple, deep hole in the ground. Numerous tunnels branch out at different angles from practically straight down to parallel with the surface. There are enough people in the area of different Levels that, at least from what Carter tells me, the Dungeon is under control and a great source of Leveling up in relative safety.
Two other groups are also near this hole in the ground. It looks like the more experienced group is on their way out and warning the less experienced group all the easier Monsters have been culled for today. I’m not that confident with the high ambient Mana levels that are concentrating in the Dungeon, but I don’t bother getting involved. In my experience it’s very likely that there’s almost an endless stream of new Monsters spawning and flowing to the entrance of the Dungeon from deep inside it.
Logan is in between Carter and I and looks back and forth between us. I’m guessing he’s either nervous and waiting for us to lead, or just waiting for a signal from us that he can jump in. My experience with Logan tells me it’s probably the second.
“You guys want to team up, in case there’s anything nasty in there?” calls out one of the people from the group that’s thinking about heading in.
“Sure,” Carter shouts back with a gesture for them to join us. I’m not keen and wouldn’t have invited them, just more people to watch out for. Logan shakes his head at Carter, I’m sure for different reasons but on this we agree. The group heads over to us so we turn to greet them. Logan even Inventories his helmet to be polite. I’m impressed.
“Oh, shit!” one of them exclaims, and they all stop in their tracks.
“Sorry Bronwic,” says another. “If you’re Dungeon diving in there we’ll leave it for next time.”
I can see Carter start to tell them it’s ok, so I interrupt.
“Yeah,” I say, talking over the top of Carter. “Heard there might be something down there that needs taking care of. Maybe next time?”
Carter glares at me but doesn’t say anything, and the group turns to leave. I pivot back to facing the Dungeon and drop down into the hole. My feet sink deeply into the soft dirt and it smells like I’m standing in a bowl of potting mix. Maybe I am. Logan lands with a thump next to me and Carter drifts down without a sound other than the hiss of flames like you’d hear standing at a barbeque.
“No distractions from helping your kid,” I say to Carter with calm certainty and gesture for Logan to lead. He pulls out a blaster rifle with a quick fire rate then looks around to assess which tunnel we should take. It’s a good weapon choice, I like it, and Logan picks the tunnel that descends down most sharply. At first I wonder if he’s overconfident, but then I do take a step back and realize that I’m along with him so it’s probably appropriate.
It’s not long down the tunnel when we encounter our first Monsters, a teeming pack of weasels that let out loud chirps and hisses from a Mana-created cavern as soon as we encounter the first one in the tunnel that leads straight down to it. My enhanced Perception and minimap have tagged them since we entered the Dungeon and although I’m alert, I’m not at all on edge. These should be a piece of cake for Logan.
Long Tailed Weasel (Level 20)
Health: 340/340
Mana: 100/100
Conditions: Quickstrike, Darkvision
They don’t look strong and Logan’s blaster rips each one he targets to shreds. He’s good, much better even than I anticipated with the enhancements from the armor. Kids and their video games, I guess. At the moment there’s not much danger and I’m interested to see what happens when he’s put under some pressure. Not because I want him to be in danger, but because I know he’s going to be in innumerable situations where it’s life or death and I want to see whether his instincts carry him through or betray him. He’s only a 13 year old kid and it feels wrong, but with a Class like his and the world he’s living in there’s not really any other option.
I’m impressed. Logan even seamlessly switches out blasters from his Inventory when their Mana batteries get low. A few minutes later even the Weasel Matriarch is smoking on the ground riddled with blaster holes. Sound oddly doesn’t carry far in these tunnels even with the air circulation. It’s only when I really focus my Perception that I can hear the Monsters up ahead that I can see on my minimap. It must be some kind of feature of this Dungeon.