Ch5

Order and Magic

When they opened them again a giant man wearing crisp white robes sitting on an exuberant throne, rubies, sapphires and diamonds covered almost every inch of it platinum and gold shown through. The man that sat on top of it would have made the Leonardo da Vinci idea of the perfect man look like a stick figure drawn by a toddler.

“Finally my guest have arrived I thought you where going to stand there talking about opening the door for ever” the giant's voice was soothing there was a melody that passed with every word. it made them want to come closer and flee in panic all at the same time. There was no documentation of a person in a safe room before to greet any diver no matter how high someone has climbed. “ I did not think the bunnies would give folks such a hard time but never mind that we have much to discuss, and it is time for you to be the bringer of magic into your world.” Finally looking down at the group the look on his face was one of a prideful father. The team did not move forward or dare to speak, the amount of power that this being had could be felt in the air. “Come do not be afraid, I am Order guide to those who climb the towers. I am here to help.” Stinking down to still unnaturally tall but reasonable. “Hmm I expected more excitement”. Order voice was still soothing but it had hints of disappointment in it. “Are you not willing to be the first? Does it not fill your heart with pride to know you beat all those that came before you? What is holding you back from running to claim your prize?” It was as if his questions demanded an answer Roger could not help but be true when he replied, but was cut off “Sir I did warn you that your grandstanding would frighten them.” A voice said from behind the team that simple sentence was filled with years of I told you so without sounding smug. A slender woman walked from behind them she has on black tailored suit it was form fitting while still being professional. She had a no nonsense look about her blue eyes seemed to glow behind her glasses “I am Array I am here to guide you though Orders grand plans and to make sure you pick the path that fits you the most.” She said with a slight bow. “Roger if you will come with me, you and ERron are first.” Shocking Roger out of his stupor “ Umm yea ok”. Roger said shaking his head falling in line with Array. “We have planned for there to be a group of five so your team will have an open slot for this pathway, each one of you will have a choice of what element you want to use and what branch of it you want to be.” Array calmly explained as she walked hands behind her back her gaze straight ahead. “Think long and hard on this you were picked first due to the nature of your AI he is not tied down like the others, and we can not have him guide you to the right path for you.” Opening a door and holding it open for roger to step though. “What do you mean? That sounds like a bad thing is ERron defective.” Rogers voice had a hint of fear in it. “No I’m not broken I’m what you would call a free agent in a since the only one that can effect what I do or say outside of myself is you”. ERron said taking shape in front of me still wearing the same old clothes smiling brightly “Ah yes the old punk rock look a real thumb at authority, though I may say it suits you.” Array did not sound surprised or off out at all, it was closer to intrigued of all things giving Roger and ERron a warm smile. With a snap of her finger the room changed they were back in the mindscape where Roger first met his AI. The real difference was what was there still the perfect version of himself in the middle but it was less imposing and seemed more realistic “I like how you took what Order says what climbers or divers should look like and made it more appropriate. Gods help those ridiculous AI that keep pushing their partners to that it will never happen.” Array seemed to be taken by ERron winking at him as she passed him. With a snap of her finger the whole area changed again this time five stone pillars appeared. “You do have a way about you” ERron said aloud making Roger jump, “Alright so here is what we got see that one on the right that is Water is main off branch is ice next is Fire the branch that would fit you is smoke it’s not a main branch but those all focus on power and your not all that powerful. Next we have Air that one is the one I think you will like the most, the branch you should get is lightning it suits you in every aspect just being bonded to it boosts our speed and attack rate plus the first spell is spark it stuns and damages your opponent, next we is Earth it really does not fit you at all Rufas will probably be pushed to it those his AI understands that he is the frontline and will need to take a beating. Then we have life healing magic or the off branch is decay and it does what it sounds like. It creeps me out and I don’t Want anything to do with it so if you pick life go for heals man.” ERron explained, pointing to each pillar in turn. “So fire or air, and in turn smoke or lightning? Those are my best two choices. Well I think ember is going to want to use fire so I think air and lightning.” Roger stated walking up to the air pillar.

Would you like to choose the path of air

This choice can not be undone

You can build on to your magic path

With a thought roger accepted the prompt. “Unlike picking your first path this one is marked on your soul it does not have a mark, but your first path needs to be decided again to best fit this new one. My advice is pick the gauntlets this time.” Array advised Roger. With a snap of her fingers the room changed again showing all the normal paths again. Roger walked up to the oversized gauntlet and it started sinking in size until it was perfectly sized for him. It felt right changing the brand on his hand with a white hot glow burning off the old, making Roger scream in pain. Panting on all fours when the pain subsided leaving only a new symbol of a gauntlet burned into the back of his left hand, feeling power from his soul connecting to the mark on his hand it felt right. The one before felt off and he did not understand what it meant until now he did not resonate with him. “ let’s go back to the group they all just underwent the same transformation as you.” Array snapping her fingers making the rooms morph into the same hallway they walked into. Order was sitting on his throne reading a book “Why can’t we have someone like this Dave fellow.” Looking up seeing the team standing before him “Ah so you have chosen to let magic into your world and not one of you were tempted to try to take it all for yourself” Order voice lost it’s melody he was not as intimidating it seemed he lost some of his powers. “With everything there is a balance to give you those gifts I had to give up gifts of my own. You are claimed as mine with this your actions reflect on me. Please do not disappoint” there was a hidden threat in the end a promise if they did they would not live long afterwards. Making the team go pale “Thankfully you all seem to understand the meaning.” Array stated “now let’s go over who has what and what true paths you unlocked as well, Ember as we all would've guessed you chose fire with branch of creation an odd choice but one I’m excited to see how you make it your own along with the path of staffs staying as your main it was the right choice from the start good. Rufas you have chosen earth with the branch of metal and the path of the shield your drive to protect your friends seemed to have made its mark on your soul you have chosen wisely. Tig you have picked life magic and stay away from the path of death picking healing rather then decay changing from the crossbow to the scythe.It is an odd choice for a healer but it does seem to have an effect with your magic and your soul. That just leaves Roger you have the most intriguing mix being air branched to lightning and picking the gauntlet as your path it has morphed into a true path, all of you have the making of a true path.” Array said with a kind smile on her face “Being tied to us, every major event will be followed by a meeting with me. I will help you unlock your pathways. I believe you call them arch types every level or clear will bring you closer to them there is no unimportant level. You will have a choice to level up your magic it your pathway getting both will take first clears or fully clearing out a wild dungeon. Good luck and oh before I forget your title boons you can see what your levels are and how they affect your body.” Array smiling at the last part.

ROGER PICKLED level 2

Magic air branches Lightning level 1

Path gauntlet level 1

Titles

First clear

First of the mages

Body level 2

Str 1

Speed 3

Mind level 1

Charisma1

Courage 2

Soul level 2

The look on everyone's face said it all stunned, confused and still beat up. “Well then all that’s left is to leave you to choose so you want to go forward and keep challenging the tower or go test your skills and gear up. I have your normal tower rewards right here, let me give them out before we forget. Tig on a normal 2nd clear of the first floor you would not get a new weapon but since this is a unique clear I offer you this scythe.” Handing Tig a black handle scythe with glowing green runes engraved on it.”Use it with care. My advice is to train with it before you try to fight with it but the runes give you passive healing buffs. Ember you are a hard one to reward. You already have a staff that will let you use your magic too easily so I will grant you a familiars unlike any other of your creations, This will always be with you, at first it will be weak but it will grow with you.” Holding out an egg black as oil with bright red lines zig zagging along the whole egg. “What will hatch from the egg will depend on what you need. Now Rufas I leave you with a choice the shield path is able to be drawn on in many ways some just use one great shield others still use the sword and shield where few use some other one handed weapon along with it with your metal sub class you would fit well in any of those roles but I think it would be best to have the hammer and shield pairing you were working towards. Ahh yes I can see I am right here is a paired set a kite shield and a one handed hammer.” Holding out a box opened showing a black handled hammer with two flat heads the head was polished steel with green and gold runes carved on both sides the shield was black with a blank white center where a crest would be on the inside there was the handle was ebony black wood with black leather straps. “ we left the crest blank until you have a team name it will fill in when you guys are given one the runes on the hammer are for force and momentum to both speed up and slow the swing of it. the shield has a self repair effect on it the more you use it the harder it becomes. For last we have Roger who also changed his path to gauntlets.” Holding out a box to Roger it held a pair of grayish black metal gauntlets with cobalt blue lines running along it giving off the feel of a lightning storm. “For these we chose to hide the runes for effect; they also have the momentum rune but the reflection paired along with it to flow with Rogers' odd fighting style. As I’m sure you have noticed you did not get fully healed when going through the safe room like normal and that was by my choosing, please understand that letting magic out in the world will upset the power balance that some have been holding onto for a long time. They will do anything to keep that balance so like normal we healed the worst of your injuries and left the superficial ones alone, that means no healing Tig until you have healed these naturally or have left town for training. As for the rest of you that goes double, remember not all hands are helping.” With that Order stood “Do be on the lookout for another member even if you did not claim the power it was at a cost to me for it to be made.” He clapped his hands and they were back at the door to leave a red exit sign glowing above a fire door from some ruins shopping center. “So does anyone else feel like they might be in over their heads?” Ember asked, still holding the egg it was the size of a football, not really something we could hide. Thankfully it was not that uncommon for this tower to give out familiars. It was still rare for it as a first but not unheard of. “ I am going to say all of us “ Rufas laughed “Yea I gotta say I don’t think I even understand what just happened. If it wasn’t for this brand I don’t think I would believe it myself. If I'm being honest I’m not sure I do even with that.” Tig said quietly “What I’m sure of is we are going to have issues. From everyone Array was not wrong to warn us this is feeling like a promise that had too many negatives tied to it that we overlooked due to how good the sales pitch was. I think we need to grind and get a place of our own or go out into the slums to train.”Roger said somberly “isn’t the slums dangerous? Like really dangerous?” Tig asked “no more than going into the wild or trusting people to do the right thing.” Rogers tone was flat “ I’m going into the slums, the old subways are filled with monsters and we can use it to train.” He counted on the logic of that to work on everyone. “ I swore I would never go back there, we lived our life’s there watching the city wishing we could be there. And now you are asking me to go back!” Rufas was red in the face yelling his response. “They did warn us to stay away from the government and in a way we all live under their thumb, us with our dad and you in the divers dorms.” Ember pointed out to the team. “Yea I’m not worried about dad saying anything but all the staff they are on the government payroll from helping hands.” Tig added “They did say not all hands are helping…” Rufas seemed to get on board. “We need time or it will look like we are running from something and that will draw attention.” He added helpfully. “I think you are forgetting something. You are owed for years you can have them give that in cash and make a place out of there reach in the wild and still train in the subway. You and Rufas can say the city is to much for you and want to be out of the gates.” ERron was broadcasting to the whole team's AI. “Umm your AI does have a good idea, also that was creepy as hell please don’t do that again.” Ember said shivering with the last part. Roger did have to admit it sounded like a good idea maybe they could mix the two build a place just out side the slums closer to the wilds that showed up shortly after the rise of the towers the world became over ran with mana mixing the whole country together, swap lands from the area that used to be known as Florida along with red woods from California showed up in the city wiping clear all but the name of some areas. The Bronx was now a forest queens was a swamp land, whole city’s wiped off the map. For the team it brought choices for what kind of areas they wanted to explore and how They wanted to train. The woods would help them develop real teamwork the mobs in that area where level 2-5. The lower end would normally be in groups of 3-4, where the swamp would force them to work on their situational awareness. The monsters in that area were level 1-3 but thrived on ambush tactics.the slums where just north of both there was an unmapped meadow that sat completely in the middle of all of them the perfect place for a base of operation to be built and developed. Roger explored the meadow when he was younger it had high level non aggressive types of monsters it was deemed non profitable by the government and forgotten about. The total of money owed would be wiped out if they had a small base created there but it gave them the means to develop all aspects of the team and if he could convince Tig into using his contacts they could get a trade route going for why they ended up bringing in. “I have an idea. Tig you work on getting it approved by talking to your father Rufas, put out your feelers for a 5th member Ember, see if you can get supplies for a month for all of us to survive. There is a perfect spot that has been deemed up fit for a town by the government that we can use.” Roger said walking out the door “ I have to go see a bartender about my parents tonight.” With that the tower spat them out to the front door “ meet up tonight at the inn by the house with the results of your tasks. I feel like this is a start of Something that will have a ripple effect on the town.” And with that Roger set off to the inn he was looking forward to tonight and maybe getting some answers about his parents.