Chapter 21.5: Power for Days

‘Trint, do you feel any weakness or tiredness from this form? Can you ask the system if you have a time limit on this form?’ Pneuma’s shock turned toward caution. This form was powerful, but what was the power source? How long could it last?’

‘System, display the source of this form’s power or time limit.’ Trint request toward the system.

System Request Error: Access Denied

Sovereign Status Acknowledged: System Override

System Error: Conflicting Protocols

System Processing Acceptable Answer:

Source and Limit of Power Unavailable. A higher iteration is required for access.

‘Well, that is an answer, but it opens even more questions.’ Trint said before allowing Pneuma access to view the system messages. He no longer could view them without Trint intentionally allowing access.

‘Hmm,’ Pneuma growled. ‘Yes, more and more questions. How does this even make sense? At this pace, you might get through this whole iteration today! I mean level 27 standard enemy types, the boss will be higher and two of them, plus time dilation. If this continues, who knows how long you will be in the Child realms. Not long!’

‘That’s great!’ Trint exclaimed while continuing to slaughter the enemies like bugs and feeling the subsequent rush of Exp from each kill.He had already felt a level up; it had only been the beginning of the instance.Level 21 now 22, fighting level 27’s and killing dozens every minute was like hitting the jackpot on the slot machine with a flood of coins splashing from a slot machine; Trint couldn’t even count how much he was getting.Well, he could, but he didn’t bother with those calculations.He rather enjoyed the focus and rush of battling these weaker opponents, the pleasant thrill of Exp, and the tremendous rush of gained levels.

After some discussion and merciless slaughter of the instance enemies, Trint and Pneuma decided that although they couldn’t figure everything out, it didn’t change their plans. Advance and progress to higher iterations. The recent changes only helped move up their timetable.

Trint followed the pull of the instance exit.After a few hundred monsters and buckets of Exp earned, he approached what had to be the boss area. He stopped at the rim of a small valley. From his vantage, he could see the remaining instance challenges.The previous barren landscape and faceless monster groups scattered around were replaced by a more organized formation.A long winding spiral lead down a circular valley.The vertical incline was like a hollowed-out volcano with a spiral walkway leading around the inside.The walkway spiraled down to more of the faceless monsters.

They were scattered around the perimeter of this valley and halfway up the spiraling walkway, while inside that ground level were gorilla-shaped versions of the faceless monsters: all muscle and large claws. Then in the center of the formation were two 15-foot versions of the faceless monsters. Every detail of them was the same, save for these two had a pair of inky black eyes and stood over the dead trees and shrubs of the valley floor. Their eyes locked on Trint. Trint’s Spiritual perception had picked up on each of the 120 faceless and 50 gorilla monsters and the two bosses before he crested the edge of the valley. As he looked down with his eyes at all the 170 monsters, he saw their levels. The outside ring was filled with level 27s, the gorillas were level 28, and the two bosses were 30. Trint had gone from being level 21 to a level 22 instance. Then accidentally increased the difficulty of fighting monsters five levels above their base level of at least 22. After killing over 300 level 27 monsters, he was at level 25. He had gained a little over five levels. The happy accident had been immensely advantageous in increasing the difficulty settings. Now he just had to finish the instance and see if the other rewards were increased as dramatically.

Trint finished his thoughts and took one step past the lip of the valley edge.As he did, the bosses raised their heads towards the sky and wailed.They sounded like the wail of a hundred people being whipped.It was disturbing and brutal.He felt pressure pass by him as he heard the howl.

‘Trint, they have a mental attack with that scream.’ Pneuma offered. ‘It didn’t seem to weaken or impact you, but be careful.’

‘Thanks, Pneuma,’ Trint smiled wide, and he jumped down from the higher valley edge and landed 50 yards lower and 50 yards closer to the bosses. He was amid the gorilla beasts. He had decided to bypass the ramp altogether. His more extended clawed feet had sunk deep into the ground, absorbing most of the momentum, then the last of it was absorbed by his main two legs and tail.

‘I see you had some confidence in landing that jump.’ Pneuma chastised with some frustrated attitude.

‘Relax, Pneuma,’ Trint chuckled. ‘I was able to calculate the details of my mass, the distance, and the momentum I would gain and determined I could handle it. Can’t you feel how strong I am in this form?’

‘Trint, I can sense a lot, but some of the access I had over you is limited now. Your Sovereign status seems great, but we will need to see if I can still help you. I don’t want to be a passenger on this adventure any more than I have to.’ Pneuma finished the statement almost sadly. He wasn’t used to feeling impotent. He knew he still had knowledge and experience to offer. But he too wanted to fight, and the transformation was originally his Spirit form helping Trint. Somehow Trint had already found a way to command it in ways he could never have imagined anyone near i7 ever could. Let alone i9. The amount of Spirit needed was astronomical compared to the density in i9. It was like he was already in i6, the way he churned through Spirit like it was just the oxygen he breathed. With each heartbeat, Trint was absorbing the equivalent of an i6 warrior meditating a peak efficiency.

‘Pneuma, we can figure that out after I finish the instance. Don’t worry, I know how valuable you are, and this doesn’t change that.’ Trint reassured. ‘Now, it’s time to let loose.’

Trint’s landing and conversation with Pneuma happened rapidly.Faster than the speed of thought, so although Trint and Pneuma discussed a few things, not much happened before Trint was required to respond to the already near faceless apes.The crater he created upon landing was quickly swarmed as Trint stayed in place and used his appendages to mince any who approached.It wasn’t more than 10 seconds before a pile of apes surrounded his crater.The two bosses were already closing in, and Trint could see over the pile of apes as the two pairs of inky eyes peered at him.

For a second, he realized they were trying to enter his mind.He didn’t know how he resisted, but then he realized he could push back against the force they were using.He used his Spirit to try and focus on the boss on his right. At the same time he did that; the monsters continued to flood Trint.He never stopped his blades from slicing, his talons from ripping, his hands from crushing, or his tail from piercing.He had already been covered in blood, but now he had a fresh coat, and there wasn’t a dry spot on him.It was messy work.

The mental attack Trint shrugged off had taught Trint something about how non-physical attacks felt. They made him aware of another muscle his Spirit could flex. As he flexed it, he felt a strength behind it. The push hit the boss, and it froze, mid-stride. Then with one foot still in the air, it wailed, and its hands reached for its head. Then it fell to the ground rolling around like its head was on fire, and it was trying to put it out by rolling around and smacking itself in the face.

Trint’s mind and attention had split as he flexed the non-physical attack.He was fully aware of the fight outside, but that slaughter was moving in slow motion as he focused on the white room.At the same time, he found himself in a white room.In the far corner was the boss, or a small figurine exactly like the boss.It mirrored the pained response, rolling around on the ground and holding its head.Trint was seated in a chair. He looked down and realized the chair was more of a throne.He stood and walked over to the small figure of the boss.

Trint didn’t want this creature to continue suffering. At the moment he had the thought, the creature relaxed and sat up.

“Are you ok? Oh, and why are you so small? Also, where are we?” Trint asked all this to the monster that had previously been 15 feet tall and now appeared no bigger than three inches tall.

“Please forgive me, Sovereign. We didn’t know or mean to offend you,” The tiny creature’s voice was frightened and dry, like an old man who smoked his whole life and was staring at the grim reaper. The voice also went well with the dry desiccated body it had. Its skin was sunken and dry like a mummy, but its face was not human.

“You can understand me? Trint asked.

“Yes, and you can understand me? That shouldn’t be possible…unless. I’ve always hoped to find freedom, but I was never much for trusting in prophecies.” The creature continued talking as if to itself, and Trint didn’t know what he was talking about. “Please, Sovereign, don’t kill me just yet. I have questions I must ask. Are you truly a Sovereign Creator Keeper? Or are you just changing your status identification to deceive us?”