Deacon stumbled over to Tantus, struggling out of his hardened leather vest. Once that was off, he started on his hoody knowing full well this one needed a wash. His back was aching, and he was still down fifty percent of his health. He turned his head in the direction of Typhus and Armand who were groggily sitting up after the Banshee’s attack. Deacon shrugged off his undershirt to find the back of it was coated in his green blood. Time was just about up at that point when the irate Lord Pentecost arrived.

“What is the meaning of this disturbance?” asked Lord Pentecost. Tantus was getting the nerve up to explain what happened when Deacon stepped in front of him, back to the Minister.

“I’ve been attacked. I need healing. Are you here to help or just to scream?” Deacon said to the fuming lord over his shoulder.

“I’m not your nurse. Gods it looks like there is an infection as well. Nothing but puss. Cover that up no one wants to see it.” Demanded Lord Pentecost covering his eyes with one and waving Deacon away.

“Well thanks for nothing then.” Deacon said as he added Armanda, Typhus, and everyone else who was just getting to their feet to his party for the passive healing alone. Lord Pentecost trudged off to speak to one of the Knights that was on duty, wildly gesticulating the whole time. Deacon mused this would be a rough night for that one.

“Green Blood. Racial trait I surmise. What really happened?” asked Wotan.

“Just like I said, I was attacked by that screaming thing.” Deacon said digging in his bag for a clean shirt.

“Clever. Just enough of the truth but hiding the facts. You know some day you’ll need allies. Better decide who’s your real enemy before that time comes.” Wotan left it at that and followed after Lord Pentecost.

“Fuck that guy.” Deacon said soft enough so only Tantus cold here him.

“Why didn’t you let me tell them what happened?” Tantus asked sheepishly.

“Because it was an accident. Let’s leave it at that.” Deacon replied shrugging into a fresh shirt. Tantus just nodded and remembered he had a healing spell. He ran over to the injured people and got to work. Deacon on the other hand had some waiting messages from his slate.

Zageracks Breathing Technique has reached level 4 at 60% to level 5. Your time in the Nether Plane has doubled it’s effectiveness increasing the rate of soul energy regeneration. Now Common souls are worth 10% soul energy instead of 5%, Uncommon 20% instead of 10%, Rare 40% instead of 20%, and Greater souls are worth 100% instead of 50%

You have reached level eighteen; you have one unassigned attribute point.

New Quest- Stranger in the Wastes: Find out who that stranger in the wastes was. Reward; New Class Ability.

Holy Quest Update- Grow the Flock: Create two hundred followers for Chimera, create two priests of Chimera to lead them. One hundred out of two hundred followers reached. One of two Priests. Rewards; New Class Ability- Dead Man’s Parade.

Deacon knew that attribute needed to go directly to Agility. The gap was still vast, and he’ll remain clumsy as long as that lasts. It was nice to see the followers increased without his active management. He pulled up his attributes to give them a quick once over.

Attribute

Score

Intelligence

27

Strength

55

Speed

47

Agility

23

Wisdom

35

Luck

300

Eyeing his luck, he wondered if it was having an adverse effect on his friends. Sure Tantus is much more powerful than when they first met but he is still making mistakes with his magic. Amanda on the other hand dove into her poison abilities with reckless abandon. While Ralph has a side hustle going with the god of war. He’s going to have to check in with them individually to make sure they are alright.

The camp dyed down about ten minutes after everyone was healed. Deacon and Tantus were relieved of the watch by some irate looking Knights that were putting their armor back on. Not questioning it, Deacon went back into his carriage to meditate. Maybe a discussion with Chimera might help calm his nerves.

No sooner than he arrived in his mind space than he was met with two bickering deities. Deacon looked up into the galaxy of his self and witnessed an enormous smile arguing with another god with wild red hair, mismatched armor, and more weapons strapped across his back than Deacon had ever seen.

“It is my turn, and you have to wait until Vatten’s turn to even move your pieces on the board.” Chimera said.

“Not true, I can act in all things related to War and your Champion is at the heart of it.” Said Mantarok pointing directly at Deacon’s consciousness.

“Guys, I’m trying to rest can you take this somewhere else?” Deacon asked. Suddenly the environment swirled around him. He was now seated in front of a card table with Mantarok sitting on the other side. Two small poles erupted from the table about six inches high each. A pad winked into existence in front of both beings and Mantarok put one elbow in the middle of the table.

“Come on, let’s see what you got.” Goaded the God of the Forge and War.

“Shit no, you’re a god!” Deacon said pushing himself away from the table.

“What’s the matter? Chicken?” badgered Mantarok.

“Nobody calls me chicken!” Deacon spat back sitting down and slapping his right palm into Mantarok’s hand.

“That’s the spirit, never back down from a challenge. Now let’s see if that blessing I gave you makes the difference.” Mantarok said as he slammed Deacon’s hand through the table forcing his body to flip out of the constructed environment back to his normal mindscape.

“Damn it! I keep telling you not to let them touch you!” Chimera shouted high above. Mantarok stood next to the horizon long smile just chuckling.

“The best part is he thought he had a chance.” Mantarok said between bouts of laughter and tears.

“That’s not why I did it, I just wanted to try the McFly thing. Love those movies.” Deacon said shaking his right hand. Now that he thought about it, he didn’t actually have hands in this place and just stopped.

“Did you have a question, Champion?” Chimera asked.

“Yea, actually I do. Do you have any idea who that person was in the Nether Plane?” Deacon asked.

“It was you. Your subclass allows you to survive in the hells you have a link with. Read your slate messages closer.” Chimera said.

“No not me. The guy in robes who showed up just before I went back to the mortal plane.” Deacon clarified.

“This is probably something better left for Bael to answer brother.” Mantarok said.

“He’s right. Ask Bael the next time you see her.” Chimera replied.

“Come on, you two seem to know, its cruel to not just tell me.” Deacon whined.

“No. Next question.” Chimera said with finality.

“Fine. I just got an update to my breathing technique. It gave me differing quality for souls now. Why didn’t I have that before?” Deacon asked.

“It wasn’t important for you to know until now. Look, odds are you are about to run into more powerful things. You just leveled to eighteen, right? You’ll get your specialization soon and you’ll be expected to perform at a level akin to your favorite security blanket, the Cardinal Unit. Only you won’t have three other highly successful adventurers traveling with you everywhere you go. You’ll have a technique obsessed swordsman, the absent-minded magic user, and the avatar of contagion at your side. Things are going to get messy. Train hard and get ready.” Said Chimera without really answering his question.

“Are those real titles? I mean is Amanda going to be some kind of avatar for the diseased or something?” Deacon asked looking more concerned.

“I give it a 50/50 shot she finds a demon that would grant her even more poison powers. Maybe even diseases.” Chimera quipped.

“She already turned me down for a place as a biological weapons crafter. Really wanted to introduce that on this world. You can thank Earth for that.” Mantarok added.

“Oh that’s terrible. Please don’t do that.” Deacon pleaded.

“Better wake him up. The caravan is leaving.” Mantarok said to Chimera.

“Don’t forget to dose that infernal fire. Only a moron would use that as a campfire.” Chimera chuckled.

“Wait, what?” Deacon asked as he fell into the empty space beneath him. He opened his eyes with a start as he felt the bounce of the carriage in motion. He went intangible, slipping through the vehicle, and raced back to the camp site where two bewildered Deep Dwellers kept pouring water on the fire. It wouldn’t go out.

“I’ve got this guys. Catch up to the rest.” Deacon said as countered the fire with Nether ice wondering how strong the energy must have been from the portal to freeze the fire solid last night.