The mood of the party had turned slightly sombre, but not everyone had been witness to the full extent of the events. For most it was simply like enjoying a long movie, with some key parts left on the cutting room floor.

For Livia and Kalle, Oscar, Sten, Harold and even Hyde, it had all been more like receiving a report, with Van Vicci narrating the full thing and pointing out details that a leader would wish to know. Especially Livia had a lot to compare to, after all the games of word-war they had played. It was evident now where Van Vicci’s style had sprung from.

But the party overall mostly treated it like a show, and the festivities continued. The younger ones, or even those who would just enjoy that more, actually had visions of what Livia would have insisted was a cartoon, with everything told as it happened, but with a very anime feel; including none of the fallen even shedding blood, but rather simply getting ejected over the horizon.

Now Van Vicci went to settle down on his throne, with only the ones who had been witness to Van Vicci’s true trial being welcome to join. There were still a few things left to say, if not to show.

“I hope you did not find that too disturbing.” He got several affirmative nods. Even if it had been bad, and even real enough to be stressful, it did not have the same impact as that of the earlier battle they had been witness to, just a mere week ago. They had at least trusted the safety which Van Vicci provided that far, even if they were sure that he had been shielding them from the true aura of the malefic Great Spirit they saw fall.

“Good. For what came after was more disturbing still. It was the final devastation of my people.” He had to pause at that, despite the years. If his voice had not been such a giant machinery, it may surely have broken on those last words. “In our moment of triumph, but also one of weakness, they all came for us. Given [Quests] by their [System]. Not even there, at the peak of my power, could I stand against so many.”

The Panda-Ra’s fall was part of the legends of Humanity, from their earliest days on Planet Ross. Some parts were still told, but details were sketchy even from the most learned of Humans, and even then such people were seldom found in Salcret. At least nowadays.

“And so I lost everyone, even my few remaining allies of other races, and for the first time in my life, I despaired.” Van Vicci took a pause again, and it was clear that he had done so at that time as well. “But do you think they would leave me alone, in my grief?”

Van Vicci’s eyes flared at the memories, and with how they had all gotten to know the great Titan over the past week, they understood what came next.

“I suppose their [Quests] would not let them, but such things were beyond my concern at the time. When they came calling, they came calling on death. I had nothing left to protect, and I had started understanding my new powers. But their deaths did not sate my rage, in fact it stoked it. I know now, that it was the [System] I wanted to strike back at. At the time I did not understand the first thing of how, and so I struck at what was representative of them, what was in reach. And a lot of people paid the price.”

Those heavy words settled a silence over them, and Van Vicci knew to let them stew, and not minimise what he had done.

“I make no excuses, but I will say that, even in my rage I was only targeting military infrastructure. With that said, the devastation I caused, and the people who got in the way. Many of them were mere supportive staff, and people arriving to their first, and last day. I charged too steep a price, far too steep. Even for such transgressions.”

They all nodded, and understood better for it, how such power made even rash mistakes have the highest of costs, even if they did not yet know the full extent of why Van Vicci had come to regret it.

“After I was illuminated with certain truths, and my ignorance was cured, I did grieve then. For them too. For I saw how we were both slaves stuck in bondage, made to fight for the pleasure of an unseen master.”

Livia was slightly better prepared for these truths than most, having read the story of Ross from the much more enlightened time of Mr Beard, but for the natives of Salcret this was all jaw-dropping truths that hinted at the deepest mysteries of their world.

“And can you believe how I learned of all these truths, from the most unexpected of sources? A Human lady, of a Spirit I consider twin to my own. One of the youngest races on Ross, somehow holding some of the key secrets to our planet, it was something I would not have ever taken bets on, it was that ridiculous.”

It was clear by Van Vicci’s changing tone that he was done with the heavier parts of what he needed to tell them, but there were still plenty of questions remaining.

“I am not about to burden you with all the dangerous secrets of our world, there is no need to worry, this is all still the territory of myth. And I will not ask that you make my enemies your own, even if they do hold our home in bondage.” He was winding down, but still staring at them intently. “I do hope that you will come back upon reaching level 30, to understand more of the battle you witnessed and the trial of the witnessing. And again at level 50, and 70. By then I might just ask, if I feel you have the stones,” He treated them to his giant, toothy smile.

“But for now, the only question I want you to really consider is; how do you fight technology?” And this time it was Livia’s jaw that unconsciously slackened. “Now, this part I would usually have saved for when you completed the trial at level 50, but I sense there is something different about you, Livia. Is there not?”

The tension was suddenly bone deep. Everyone in the group, who all knew of Livia’s secrets, and Van Vicci’s hatred for the [System], all held their breath.

And that was when he burst out laughing, with his uncontrollable booming laugh. Making it so they all had to clap hands over their ears, except for Harold who knew he could heal his, and try out his upgraded Spell, and so decided to shield Hyde’s instead.

“I sense her touch on you Livia, or should I call it her smell? But I can also feel that, you have never met my old friend, have you?”

Livia could barely do more than look stunned, and she reserved that minimal ability for breathing.

“That is a mystery, indeed a mystery. But not surprising, considering your levels,”

They simply did not know what to say, and Van Vicci stopped stroking his chin whiskers when he realised it.

“Alright that settles it. I will advise you as best I know how, even if you are not yet level 50. You must level, and grow, but if you want to truly figure out the [System] empowering you so, you must head for the Cloven’s sacred volcano. And you must get closer than any of them dare, until you understand the secret of how I faked my death. Understand?”

They were spent after the long day, but even had they been at their peaks it would be a hardpressed thing to get anything more than a couple nods out of them..

“Are you sure you can’t ju…” And Livia did not get further than that.

“I would tell you if I could, but it is not ‘the how’ that is to help you, but that which can only be understood on reaching there. I will tell you more, when it is time, but return here for your level 30 trial before you start to consider such adventures on your own, which I highly recommend for the journey. It should give you time to figure out who else to take with you all as well,”

And like that, Van Vicci was finished, and he let them all sink into a rare sleep in his rainbow valley.

When they awoke in the morning it was finally time for them all to leave… The Valley.

To return to… The valley.

Redd and the other elders had been waiting for a full week, and with the rainbow simply disappearing at that. When it appeared again this morning, they knew their wait would soon be over, but true relief did not reach their chests until Livia and her crew all came walking back up the slope to camp.

Livia was walking with Oscar, who she had barely seen for the past week, for the first time since arriving on Ross. They had a thousand things to talk about, but most of them could wait.

“I hope your week was as good as it sounds, and you’re not feeling jealous over us all reaching new capstones, because it was good for you too, right?”

Oscar smiled back at her slightly worried frown. “Yeah, don’t worry, I got a new sword, remember?” Then he gave her a light shove. “And I am gonna teach you to dance like a Sprite too, I’m guessing you might find it more fun than trying to spar with Harold, after his new capstone.”

And with summer in the air, and having left such challenges behind her, Livia laughed like a maniac at that.

“Besides, you didn’t forget right?” Livia honestly had no idea what he was talking about. “It’s my birthday next week."

End of Book 1

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On a final note I would like to share with you all one of my favorite Subreddits when searching for inspiration: /r/ImaginaryBehemoths

These images from such talented artists have helped me immensely, and served as inspiration for my Great Spirits, although obviously these are not canon. (yet) Ha-HA

Let me know if you find any you would like to see in upcoming books!

And do you see any faces you recognise?