Echoes of the Maw. Shit. Felix groaned. Of course.
The ruby-red drops of Primordial energy floated above his core, legion even though many had clumped together and congealed into larger blobs. They spun quickly, but their power unspooled across his core like a cloud. He was practically infested with it all.
Bastion of Will!
An excruciating shearing sliced across Felix's Spirit and Mind. Even his Body trembled in the distance. The severed lines from his core into his Bastion whipped in the empty space, lashing about before retracting like injured tentacles to the array of ruby power.
Bastion of Will is level 58!
...
Bastion of Will is level 62!
"GGGAAAAAHAHH!"
He flared his Bastion in tandem with his Fire Within, and a wave of blue-white lightning rippled through his core space. Wherever the wave hit the red, the Primordial power recoiled and pulled back atop his core. Skills that were becoming enmeshed in the web of volatile emotions were cut free, suddenly shining brighter than ever before. Like the noon sun coming out from behind a cloud, Felix's core space was inundated with brilliance as each of his revolving Skills gleamed in the dark.
The cloud of vermilion dwindled away, until it was a mere haze around the Echoes of the Maw.
And...stay...out...
Zara hummed to herself as Felix flopped backward. He was a sweaty mess after his extensive efforts in his core space. His Companion flashed out of his Spirit and nuzzled his face, eliciting groans of affectionate annoyance. The boy had utilized the tools to hand to imperfectly side-step the issue he was experiencing, but he'd failed to notice a critical development. Even now, Zara could sense it, brewing in his Aspects.
What will you do when you find out, Felix? Zara tapped her lips. How will you face it?
Zara, at least, was very interested in finding out.
"Wait, so System Authority is irrefutable?" Felix asked. A day after his core diving, Felix and a small group of fighters had gotten clearance to approach the city center. Other groups were forming up at the same time, each heading in a slightly different direction to begin engaging the monsters. Armor and weapons were mostly available to everyone who volunteered, and squads had been formed among those eager to claim the Quest's rewards.
Felix felt good, less emotional to be sure. A quick flare of Fire Within confirmed his Echoes of the Maw still had not moved, but nothing else had changed either. The influence within his Bastion remained. Nothing he attempted had removed the red metal from his fortress and lands, but with his Mind calmer he at least wasn't worried about going off the handle.
Today was a test though. Could he devour more Revenants and keep the Echoes in check?
At the moment, they were all walking along the river Ianus, close to the edge of the "safe zone." The Revenants still hadn't made much headway across the river, but that was starting to change. Scouts had reported more activity on the far side, though few of the monsters risked the river. There were things in the river, Felix knew.
Goddamn eels.
"Yes and no," Vess explained. She looked at all of them as she spoke, including their entire squad in the conversation. "System Authority is nearly absolute. It doesn't give you the power of life or death of the citizens necessarily, but you may alter defenses, access resources, even set terms on Duels. Once set, they cannot be broken. Like an Oathbinding."
"So everyone with Authority is ranked the same?" Evie asked. "If I get this thing, does that mean I can beat up your dad?"
Vess gave Evie a mock serious look before laughing. "No. Authority is not only ranked based on how much Territory you control, but you only have it within your Territory. If you travelled to someone else's Territory, even if they had Provisional Authority and you had the greater rank, you would be under their dominion."
"So no storming the capitol and tweakin' the Heirophant's nose?" Evie frowned and Vess shook her head with a smile. "Ugh. Then what use is it?"
A strangled chuckle came from behind them, and Felix let his Perception encompass the rest of them. Thangle was walking in the middle, stifling a shocked laugh, but was flanked by a couple Tin Rank volunteers. They all looked just as startled at the subject of conversation, though Atar rolled his eyes in the far back. Felix supposed only some of them had gotten used to Evie's outbursts.
Felix had been instructed to make a squad of his own for testing his plan, but Cal had gone and made the announcement public. That meant most of the morning had been spent sifting through ambitious volunteers, trying to find someone to fit his team's fighting style. Frustrated, he'd just selected a few of the people he'd met before.
Cade and Sellis, Orc and Human women respectively, each bore martial weapons and heater shields in addition to their new Apprentice Tier armor. Merk and Heva, on the other hand, were mage types without any proper weapons aside from a dagger at their waists. The mages were adorned in lighter leather armor, not quite as encompassing as Evie's own, but more protection than Felix had on. And heater shields of their own, of course. Atar simply wore his newly repaired armored robes, an expensive set the smiths couldn't replicate.
The Tin Ranks were still raw, having seen only a little more action since the last time Felix had seen them, but all of them had Revealed their Omens. Felix was still unclear on what Omens really meant, other than the vague and mostly useless "indicator of fate," but it meant extra stats each level. He couldn't argue with that, and he brought them along to help them toward Apprentice Tier as quickly as possible. Aenea had even furnished their team with a collection of Iron Rank Essences, something she extracted from the ore apparently. Felix had been too busy to have her teach him yet, though she also appeared to be avoiding him.
A problem for another time.
From above, a piercing cry echoed outward. Intent jolted through Felix and he snapped his eyes forward, across the river.
"Burn me," Atar said at almost the same time. He pointed. "Here they come."
Roaming aimlessly through the burnt out and shattered husks of buildings, the sightless monsters perked up the same time Atar spoke. There had to be at least ten of them, and every single one pivoted and stared directly at them.
At Felix.
C'mon beasties. Let's go.
A living avalanche of rust red and putrid yellow, they came, loping across the bridge at wild speeds. Bugling cries filled the air, and more poured from nearby side streets. Ten, fifteen, twenty more. A few even leaped directly into the river, taking the shorter path.
Felix could feel the others shift, his friends in anticipation and the newbies in fear. "Shields up! Arms out! Protect your neighbor and you'll be fine," he shouted.
"Trust the Fiend!" Evie yelled.
Felix spared her a withering glance, but she just smirked and batted her eyes. "Well? Gonna fight or stand there, blue eyes?"
Sovereign of Flesh!
Unfettered Volition!
The sound of a dragon's roar shook the air as Vess unleashed her own Skill, and Felix rushed in.