Chapter 10 - New Avenues

Tal woke groggily to the sound of something badgering him. “Multiple Bloodline options available.” the machine-like voice repeated again. “Please select an option to continue.”

“Shit. Not this again” Tal murmured, jolting up from the hard metal plating floor that he was slumped on.

“Multiple Bloodline options available. Please select an option to continue.”

“Ok, I get it, I get it. You want me to select an option. It’s not like you’ve even told me how to choose.”

As if hearing his words, one of the machine's arms swung around to face him. The contraption folded back on itself and out slid another digital screen displaying the same profile he had seen before. Only this time, there was a blinking overlay displaying each of the Bloodlines the computer had detected.

Multiple Bloodlines Detected!

Multiple Bloodlines have been detected in your system.

Choose an option below to continue with the Forceful Awakening process. Only one option may be chosen at this time.

Options Available: 2

Tal put a holt on everything as soon as he read the words Forceful Awakening. Anything described as forceful did definitely not sound good. Fortunately, The Tower itself was quick to reassure him, and that itself was comforting.

The information he had received from The Tower’s prompts so far had always been helpful so far. He just had to trust that this tower wasn’t misleading him somehow into something he wasn’t ready for.

Tower Of Judgement

The Tower Of Judgement amplifies the chance of a successful Bloodline Awakening.

While there are no rarities associated with Bloodlines, that is not to say that all are equal. The extent to which you have inherited a specific Bloodline, however, is determined by the concentration of that Bloodline in your system.

Each Bloodline can manifest in manifold ways, and mutations are not an uncommon occurrence. Especially in a forceful Awakening such as this.

The allure of power was too much to resist. He could not afford the indecision right now. Without further ado, Tal returned to rereading the digital screen, trying not to be discouraged by his creeping uncertainty. There was no time for that.

Multiple Bloodlines Detected!

Multiple Bloodlines have been detected in your system.

Choose an option below to continue with the Forceful Awakening process. Only one option may be chosen at this time.

Options Available: 2

True Progenitor

[Bloodline]

Concentration: Minuscule++

The path of your lineage. While humanity has inherited some of the visual characteristics from their ultimate progenitors, they are severely lacking in all other aspects by comparison. The Bloodline Abilities of your true ancestors have been diluted over the uncountable years, still, you are one of the few individuals possessing just a fraction of their unparalleled potential.

Begotten Of Null

[Bloodline]

Concentration: Low - Very High (variable)

The Null is a race born artificially from The Tower Of Judgement’s tamperings. They work collectively as a gestalt species and commonly focus on observing, watching, and identifying the clearest path of improvement.

“So I have two options…” he muttered “One with a Minuscule concentration, though those pluses probably mean just above that, and one that for all I know could be anything…” It certainly wasn't much to go off, but he knew by now that these things were rarely so generous as to give an all-encompassing description.

What Tal did know, was that the True Progenitor Bloodline sounded positively enthralling. He wasn’t sure what the prompts meant by his lineage - unless history had missed something apes were actually demi-gods. Something told him that wasn’t the case. The System seemed to allude to his ancestors as some past species of great power. That was something he was definitely interested in looking into, and hopefully, claiming that power for himself.

Still, the screen he had received from The Tower warned him off that path. If the concentration of that Bloodline was really that low, then he would most likely not ‘inherit’ that Bloodline to any great extent. Whether that meant he would fail to inherit the Bloodline completely or just get very reduced boosts to his stats from it, he wasn't sure.

That made him consider the second option. He didn’t really know much about these Null creatures. That made him pause. What do I truly know about them? Is it really wise to venture down a path tied to the shady species that just finished stalking me all this time? A species that has coerced me at every turn to follow where they want me to go. What were their motivations? What do they want from me?

He knew from when they had struck him he had gone completely numb all over. But he had also received that new Mark. Was the Mark they left intentional? Tal didn't think so. The mark granted some sort of partial incorporeality that would definitely have put his mind at ease long ago. It all didn’t add up.

There was also another reason he wasn't particularly inclined to try to awaken the Null Bloodline. He had definitely noticed himself changing lately as a result of The System. If he took this path, who knew what would happen to him. Joining that hooded gang of creeps is not on the table.

All in all, though, he knew this new world was going to change him sooner or later. And that change just might be what he would need to survive. He could only hope he wouldn't mutilate his body too much. He needed the boost to his power now. He couldn’t gamble for the first Bloodline. He had to take what he could get now, and put in the work later to make up for it. And he would put in the work. He would claim the first Bloodline as soon as he was able. However he could.

Tal closed his eyes and selected the second option, “Begotten of Null”. Screw it. Bring it on, I’m ready! He thought.

The machines whizzed to life. Tal could hear their gears cracking back and forth, pistons pumping up and down from far above, and the soft hum of electricity building to a crackling crescendo from all around him.

With his eyes closed, Tal missed the show of a lifetime. The dull pulsing red of the walls lept upward, feeding into conduits at the top of the room. There they coalesced into swirling red balls of energy and mixed with some other grey concoction from within the depths of the machine. Finally, the ball of red and grey energy swelled in size, before vaulting down through every one of the machine’s many arms.

The energy coursed through Tal. This time though, he didn't feel a thing. From behind his closed eyes, the whole process went unnoticed, save for the flashing he could see through his shut eyelids and the dull roar of the flowing energy.

Tal kept his eyes tightly shut and his body tensed up. He was ready for the onslaught of pain he knew would be coming when the machine injected him with whatever otherworldly instruments it needed. But nothing happened. Tal was alerted to the completion of the process by a familiar deadpan voice.

“Forceful Awakening successful”

Then, a new prompt filled his vision.

Begotten Of Null

[Bloodline]

Strength: Medium++

Bloodline Forging: 0% Complete

About: The Null is a race born artificially from The Tower Of Judgement’s tamperings. They work collectively as a gestalt species and commonly focus on observing, watching, and identifying the clearest path of improvement.

Mark Of Null-kin [Epic]

Temporary

This Mark has been consumed in the Awakening of Bloodline: Begotten Of Null. This Mark is no longer available.

Primary Attributes

Dexterity: 15

Agility: 10

Strength: 13

Constitution: 17

Intelligence: 13

Wisdom: 13

Charisma: 8

Intelligence and Wisdom increased by 2 levels.

Constitution increased by 1 level.

Charisma decreased by 1 level.

The lifeless voice of the machine echoed around the room once more. “Bloodline Forging functions activating. Standby for Forging boosting mechanisms.”

Now, what the hell is that? No one ever mentioned anything about this part. Tal couldn't help the foreboding feeling building in his chest.

The Machine whirled to life once more. Each of its limbs began loudly clunking and stuttering. Then they began retracting themselves, arm by arm, straight up into the ceiling until the chamber was clear of any obstruction. Tal nearly fell as the podium beneath his legs shot down from underneath him.

Just as he was beginning to ponder what could be happening to him now, the machine spoke up.

“Forging process beginning,” the voice paused “Wave 1 incoming.”

“The fuc-” Tal didn’t have time to think as a hidden compartment in the side of the wall rolled upwards, revealing three pairs of enraged eyes. They charged outward, instantly swarming the room in a loose circle around a frozen Tal.

But Tal’s recent training had not gone for naught. He surveyed his opponents. It was obvious to him who the leader of the bipedal lizard creatures was. The scales around its eyes glistened with a lustre richer than the standard dark green of the other two. It bore an expression of pure smugness around its narrowed brows. Not to mention the deferring look the two underling reptilians bore toward their leader.

That was all the time that Tal had to analyse the creatures though. Their leader barked a command and its two underlings began to advance with the sharp tips of their crude spears hoisted outward in a distinctly unfriendly manner.

And here I was thinking we could all have a nice talk about proper etiquette. He thought. “Trust the leader to stay back and do all the hard work.” Tal huffed under his breath, taking purposeful steps away from his combatants. He had spoken all too soon, however.

The leader growled and extended a hand, instantly filling it with the darting of a startlingly intense blue flame. It’s underlings snapped their eyes back towards their commander, observing its magic in action. Tal could have sworn he saw the ends of their maw twitch upward in a sadistic grin. Instantly bolstered, they renewed their effort to pin Tal down, advancing even more enthusiastically. But Tal was determined to be no easy kill.

The closest creature always stepped forward with its right foot. Tal intended to make use of that tidbit of information. With the heat from the leader's magics swelling in intensity, Tal knew it was time to make the first move.

Tal predicted the creature before him’s next move. He instinctively knew where it was intending to move next and how it was going to do so. He struck out at his planned destination as the closest lizard-spawn moved forward. His dagger lept forward, its metallic reflection sparkling from the pulsing red illumination of the room’s walls.

The creature noticed its blunder all too late. It tried to evade, but it was too slow, and the strike was too well executed.

Tal’s foot met the leg of the advancing monster with a loud crack. “Good luck recovering from that.” Tal smirked. The creature barked something in an unknown language as it doubled over. But it was all too late. Tal pressed his advantage while the monster was bent over in its moment of grief. His dagger sailed through the air, piercing through the soft flesh running along the side of its back. The monster fell forward onto the floor, leaking red, but unmoving. It wouldn’t be getting back up.

A prompt lit up in Tal’s vision. Tal scanned its contents, noted something about receiving exp, and minimised it for later. He was busy. There was work to do.