“Satisfied?”

  “Yes, although I’d like to learn more about the Sect of the Veiled Infinity.”

  His eyes lit up like Nevin when he was about to tell me some system minutia, but Lord Rayden coughed. “We don’t have time for proselytizing now, Bahran. He’s new to our clan. Once his world is inducted and he has been acclimated to the clan, we can send him to one of your chapels.”

  “Fine, but don’t forget. He was using some ability related to spiritual energy early, and it wasn’t a low grade one. He will NEED what we can teach him.”

  Lord Rayden grunted, which must have been enough for the priest, because he held his medallion out until it touched my chest. There was an instant of burning pain, but I was proud that my knees didn’t buckle.

  Moments after Priest Bahran's medallion made contact with my chest, an astonishing transformation unfolded. From the very core of my being, a radiant burst of light erupted, casting brilliant rays across the dimly lit surroundings. It was as if a star had been born within me, its luminescence piercing the shadows. The sudden flare of energy was so intense, so pure, that it momentarily blinded me, leaving afterimages dancing in my vision. This spectacle of light seemed to draw the very essence of my encounter with the darkness out from within me, materializing it into the physical realm.

  There, hovering before my eyes, amidst the still-fading glow, was an orb of translucent light. It floated, ethereal and mesmerizing. Within its heart, a tiny speck of absolute darkness twisted and writhed, a stark contrast to the energy surrounding it.

  This dark speck was like a black hole, absorbing any light that ventured too close. A shiver ran down my spine as I realized that thing had been inside of me. The orb floated serenely, a few inches from my chest, as if suspended by invisible strings. Its presence was both eerie and captivating, a tangible manifestation of the spiritual battle I had endured, now externalized for all to witness.

  Just confirming what I was seeing I asked, “The spear put that in me?”

  “Show me the weapon and I’ll tell you,” Bahran replied.

  When I pulled it forth from spatial storage, he grasped it with one hand. I could almost feel a type of energy shielding him from it, though. The spear crackled in his hands like it was dry tinder. “No, this spear is not inherently evil, but hell mana is insidious. Evil is a nebulous concept, but anything which serves no purpose other than to cause harm is highly suspect.”

  Lord Rayden said, “We don’t have long here, as we need to complete the quest quickly for optimal rewards. As soon as it’s done, the system will remove us from this world, so I’m going to give this to you now.”

  He pulled an insignia showing the forked lightning bolt of House Rayden. “Wear this with pride. It won’t be active on your world because the system bars that for non-inducted worlds, but it will provide some small enhancements as well as offering a one-time favor. Tap it and think on the type of help you need, and the closest clan resources will be sent to you.”

  I grasped the symbol and felt a tingle go up my arm.

  Clan Symbol- House Rayden (rare)

  Passive effects- +10 Agility, +10 Endurance, +10 Perception

  Active effect: Lifeline- summons help from the clan.

  The symbol immediately latched onto my armor and took up a place on my left breast near the shoulder. I repeated the salute and bow from earlier and Lord Rayden said, “See, he’ll fit in just fine.” Then he returned my bow, albeit nowhere near as deep as mine. “I look forward to a fruitful relationship with you. Learn, grow strong, and bring honor to Clan Rayden. There is much we can do for your world, but only if you prevail.”

  Then the two of them turned and headed back out through the wall with their guards or sidekicks or whatever you call the epic tier warriors, fighting alongside two legendaries.

  Crag broke the silence a moment later, “So, that happened…”

  Samvek said, “There’s no need to discuss—”

  But he was cut off by a storm of questions from all three Galenians. I mostly just laughed as they badgered him and he seemed helpless to stem the tide. At the same time, I took a look at my spells and abilities. At uncommon, I gained access to a fourth active and passive ability as well as both three common and two uncommon spells. Up to this point I hadn’t filled the spells because once they were put in there they were locked in and could never evolve, but maybe it was time to think about that.

  Of the spells that I had now, the only ones I’d consider for this were Barbs of Slowing and Persistent Frost Cone. Neither was all that effective against the higher level monsters I’d been fighting. Yet were the two spells that I wanted to put into my uncommon spell list. If I wanted to change one of them out later, I’d have to destroy my version of the spell.

  That brought up the point that I wasn’t getting nearly enough spell drops. Maybe Samvek would have some that I could get from him. Although there seemed to be some limits on what he could give me. In the end, I decided to put Barbs of Slowing as one of my two uncommon spells. That allowed me to move Magical Acceleration to my core list. Then I made a command decision and switched out Killing Touch for the ice spell. It seemed like it was more likely to be useful against a boss, even though, I wasn’t sure if it could affect undead.

  Soon, it would be time to go hunting.

  Chapter 37- Temptation

  Samvek finally put an end to all the questions and said, “Eat up. As soon as they close that portal, a path to the core plot will open. We have to be ready to go.”

  I walked over to one of the tables. It was a lot to take in even after having seen the local buffet back home. The table stretched out before me, a landscape of culinary abundance. Dishes of all shapes and sizes covered its surface, each one more inviting than the last. The air was rich with the scents of spices and cooked meats, mingling with the sweet aroma of baked goods. It was a feast fit for a king, and it lay sprawled in a dungeon oasis. This was not what I’d expected at all.

  To the left, a massive platter held an assortment of roasted meats. Thick cuts of beef glistened under the light, juices running along the grooves of the carving board. Beside them, skewers of grilled chicken and lamb emitted a smoky fragrance, each piece charred to perfection. A giant bowl of steaming vegetables added a splash of color to the ensemble. Bright greens, yellows, and reds peeked out from the medley, seasoned with herbs that tickled the nose.

  Further down, a selection of breads and cheeses formed a tableau of textures and flavors. Loaves of crusty bread lay sliced and ready, their interiors soft and warm. Wheels of cheese—from sharp cheddar to creamy brie—sat cut into wedges. Nuts and dried fruits were scattered in between, offering a contrast in taste and crunch.

  The dessert section was a spectacle in itself. Pies and cakes stood proudly among bowls of fresh fruit. A chocolate fountain bubbled quietly in the corner, surrounded by an array of dippables: marshmallows, strawberries, and bite-sized brownies. The sweet scent of sugar and chocolate filled the air, promising a delightful end to the meal.

  Beyond the human dishes, there were a vast assortment of items, which I couldn’t recognize. From the way that the others dug into those, I could only assume they were native to their worlds.

  As I ate, I felt peaceful in a way I hadn’t felt since before my dad got sick. It was like there was no stress, no need to do anything. The clan head was taking care of the real problem.

  Then Dori put into words the sensation I was feeling. “What if we didn’t go finish the plot? You’ve already got a lot of world points. We could just finish the rest of your time here relaxing. You deserve it after everything we’ve been through over the past four months.”

  Crag mumbled with a mouth full of food, “Yeah, I second that.”

  Nevin was quiet, which was unusual, but Samvek said, “I don’t know why you’re saying that, but we have duties.”

  I heard him, but I struggled to put any weight to his words. This place had everything we needed. Heck, if we stayed here, I wouldn’t even have to worry about what would happen on Earth. I thought for a second and realized mom and Cece would probably be okay. Earth was gonna stay in third place even if I didn’t go back and the half a million points I got would be a huge contribution.

  Something was off about those thoughts, but I kept eating all the same. Even Samvek didn’t protest too much. He kept talking about us leaving, but I noticed that he didn’t stop eating.

  Nevin finally said, “Does anyone else feel like this place is influencing them?”

  I almost ignored the mage, but on a whim I stretched out my senses. Everything about this place was perfectly created to soothe and relax. It was ideal. Was that so bad?

  Then I caught a faint whiff of spiritual energy swirling around me. That wasn’t so unusual since all living beings create spiritual energy, but it wasn’t mine. It was subtler, almost insidious in the way it moved around me.

  I knew there was something I needed to do in response, but I couldn’t remember what it was. Spirit Sing maybe? It was hard to concentrate, just a short nap would be perfect.

  The temptation was a gentle, creeping lull. A siren's call to surrender, to forget the world beyond these walls. The dungeon's oasis had become a paradise, a trap cloaked in luxury and abundance. The air, thick with the aroma of culinary delights, carried with it a spell of complacency. Each bite, each breath, wove deeper the web of temptation.

  As I thought back, I realized that it had been present from the very beginning. That soft welcoming voice which had welcomed me to the oasis had been lulling me from the beginning. Then it hit me.

  Samvek had mentioned that some dungeons had safe zones, but nothing like this. They were small areas devoid of any comforts which were shielded from the monsters. This wasn’t like that. This was the lure and the comfort here was the hook. The oasis was just another part of the dungeon, dangerous in its own way.

  Around me, the team succumbed to the enchantment. Dori's suggestion, a whisper of rebellion against our mission, found fertile ground. The idea of abandoning our quest, of yielding to the ease this place offered, was a balm to our weary spirits. Crag's agreement, muffled by his indulgence, was a chorus to the pull towards inaction. Even in this place of plenty, his warrior's appetite found no end.

  Samvek's protest was a beacon, yet his voice lost its edge, blunted by the same force that ensnared us. His words were right, a call to duty, to purpose. Yet, they landed softly, cushioned by the oasis's allure. Perhaps his higher tier or greater experience granted him more resistance, but even he seemed to be caving in.

  Nevin's silence was a void, a missing piece in the puzzle. His usual chatter, a constant undercurrent to our adventures, was absent, lost to the feast before us. Yet, his eventual insight, a question posed to the void, was a spark. It flickered, threatened by the gusts of temptation, but it did not extinguish.

  The mage's intuition nudged me from my reverie. My senses, dulled by the hell mana's seductive grasp, stirred. A reluctant awakening, a struggle to pierce the fog that this dungeon had woven around us. The spiritual energy, a subtle poison, was a masterstroke of manipulation. It didn't just invite sloth; it adorned it in velvet, made it a throne from which we were loath to rise.

  Recognition dawned, slow and unwelcome. I knew what I needed to do, but even as I tried to open my mouth, I kept asking myself why I should bother. The question that plagued me though, was why did this suddenly get so intense?

  I looked around. Something was definitely off. I forced a note to come out, off tune and out of kilter, but I began to sing. Spirit Singing was powerful even though I’d only touched upon the very tip of the iceberg, as it were.

  The lethargy began to lift. It wasn’t like I was filled with energy and ready to run a marathon. It was more like a lessening of the pressure. More than anything though, it opened my eyes.

  As I looked around the room, I saw that all of us were looking slovenly and were covered in bits of food. Dust was building up all over the room. Worse, as I looked past us, I saw skeletons from a dozen different races piled up against the walls. We were not the first victims of this sloth song. But once again, I asked why now?

  Then it hit me. The clan team must have closed the portal. That meant they’d be gone with their wildly powerful auras. Whatever hell mana remained in the dungeon was likely trying to consolidate in the oasis. I began to think that perhaps we weren’t the ones eating here, but rather that this place was meant to eat us. Perhaps not our bodies, but something essential inside.

  A single question echoed through my mind. “Why struggle when this was so easy?

  But those weren’t my words. That was a lie of this place. I knew what I was fighting for. My struggles so far, had been intense, but worth it. There was no alternative. Death not just for me but for my entire world waited if I gave even a single iota less than my best.

  So I broke out into a bawdy song, poorly sung, but it spoke to what I wanted, no needed to be now, A Bat Out of Hell.

  The words were filled with power, and the energy around us began to recede. I switched from one song to the next as I finished each, slowly beating back the lure of this trap. Samvek was the first to fully awaken. He immediately pushed his aura out and the weight against my song was cut in half.

  Nevin and the others soon followed suit. Samvek urged them to flare their auras. Much like mine, they didn’t have the precise control over it that my mentor did, but it was enough. Within an hour, I had broken the force here. We still didn’t waste any time though, but instead stumbled through the gateway which led to the core plot.

  None of us had any idea how long we had been there, but I watched each of them go first, before I finally followed suit. As soon as I was on the other side, all that tension left me. There were still some remnants of hell mana here, but they cried out with despair and hatred, not a lulling temptation.

  Dori said, “How long were we in there?”

  I was about to say that I didn’t know how long, but then I looked at the quest timer.

  Time on Darje Mission: 148 days, 1 hours, 52 minutes.

  More than a month… That thought sunk in. So much wasted time. If we hadn’t broken free, we would have failed the rest of the quest. We quickly talked strategy, but then set up a quick camp. We didn’t need to sleep, but we each needed to clean up, wash our faces, and take stock of whatever personal turmoil we had just felt.

  Eventually, everything came crashing down on me. The subtle influence had been affecting me since I entered the oasis. Creating the new class core had pushed it back for a while, but there was so much I’d missed out on. And then out of the blue, I decided to put a spell into my uncommon list. This was messed up. I had always intended to keep growing Barbs of Slowing. Yet, confusion had prevailed.

  I looked at my new class now with a clearer mind. Cold water to the face tends to help with that. Sure enough, there was growth from my new class that I hadn’t bothered to claim.

  Force Mage:

  Passive benefits

  1) All force based damage is increased by 25%

  2) The durability of force constructs is increased by 50%

  3) Ease, speed, and mana cost for force related spells or abilities is reduced by 33%

  New Passive Ability- Shared Force (Uncommon 1%) – you may pass a force construct to a party member who can then use it. The drain to use it will come from their mana once they begin wielding it.

  Vestigial Hunter:

  New Passive Ability- Hunter’s Instinct (Uncommon 1%)- this ability will increase your effective Perception by 50% and will awaken ancient instincts within you for fighting, hunting, hiding, and surviving in the wild.

  New Active Ability- Hunter’s Tether (Rare 1%) Create a tether of force which will connect to one of your weapons. It will slowly drain the Vitality, Durability, and Endurance from the target as long as it is connected. Multiple tethers can be created. Cool-Down: 10 seconds.

  Bio-Charger-

  Passive Benefits:

  1) Lightning Mana absorption and regeneration are increased by 75%

  2) Mage Shield is active at all times, running only on your bio-electrical energy. When the shield takes damage, the ratio of damage to mana points is increased to 3:1.

  New Active Ability- Searing Arc (Uncommon-1%)- this ability will create a short range arc of lighting capable of traveling up to one foot per level. Damage is moderate to severe. The attack can arc to nearby foes for 50% damage. Chance of Dazed or Stunned status conditions applies based upon the difference between your Mind stat and the target’s Durability. Cool-Down: 1 minute.

  New Active Ability- Overcharge (Rare- 1%): this ability will increase all of your stats by 1% per level for 1 second per level. Afterward, there is a 100% chance minus half your level chance that you will then operate at 50% stats for 1 second per level.

  Death Healer-

  Passive Benefits:

  1) All healing you perform is reduced by 1% for every 1% of health the target is over 50% health. All healing you perform is increased by 2% for every 1% of health the target is below 50% health.

  2) Every death of a creature of your tier or greater within 1000 feet of you will increase your healing potency by 1% for 1 minute. The time is reset with every new death.

  New Passive Ability- Vampiric Aura (Rare 1%)- you are healed for 25% of all damage that you cause. The aura only extends out 10 feet, so ranged attacks won’t benefit.

  I had some choices to make, but then the floor started to shake. I heard a rumbling that sounded like a dinosaur as the very stones around us vibrated. Then a deep, sonorous voice cried out, “Who dares to disturb Azirin? No matter, your bones and elements will be added to the whole.”

  I looked around. We were in the opening of a large cave. It looked like some ancient temple had been carved into the side of a mountain. That or this was the largest crypt I’d ever seen. The tunnel made a sharp dog-leg to the right, and that was where the sound was coming from.