When I finally found Urg with my eyes, I was pleased to see he was dominating the fight.

  Urg's twisted, vine-like body had an ominous presence, causing the air around him to crackle with a tangible energy. The elf opposing him wore robes adorned with symbols of fire, and clutched a long, wickedly sharp sword that seemed to flicker with fiery energy.

  Urg's form surged forward, each stride leaving a momentary imprint of his vine-clad feet on the deck. The elf skillfully twirled the blade, sending sparks across the ship's wooden planks. His eyes locked onto Urg's, displaying a mixture of determination and trepidation.

  The next strike came from the elf. He swung his sword in a diagonal motion, flames trailing behind it, aiming for the heart of the creature made of vines. But Urg was fast. One of his bell-shaped buds opened up, forming a thick shield that easily deflected the blade, causing it to sing as it skimmed the surface.

  Urg retaliated with a powerful thrust, shooting out a spike from his body with such force that it seemed like a blur. The elf, showcasing his agility, ducked and rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding being skewered. He came up in a crouched stance and unleashed a wave of fire from his palms, aiming to engulf Urg in flames.

  The intense heat bore down on Urg, yet he remained undeterred. He drew on his bell-shaped buds which spouted forth another shield, this one gleaming with a translucent finish. It was a barrier against the flames, allowing him to advance unhindered, the fire dancing and shimmering around him but never touching his body.

  The elf must have sensed he was at a disadvantage, so he lunged again with his sword. The blade clashed repeatedly against the vine-spikes and shields, each blow resonating with a powerful echo. The two were so evenly matched in that moment, their strengths offsetting each other’s, that it looked like a dance—a deadly waltz on the deck of a ship split in two.

  As the clashing continued, Urg adopted a more offensive stance. His motions became more fluid, almost predatory, as if he was toying with his prey. He released a volley of spikes, rapid fire, towards the elf.

  The elf parried and dodged, but each movement cost him ground and energy. Sweat glistened on his forehead, evaporating before it could trickle down due to the heat of his magic.

  Suddenly, Urg lunged forward, coiling his body around the elf, tightening like a constrictor snake. The elf screamed, the sound piercing the chaos of the battle around them. He unleashed a desperate torrent of flames directly into Urg's face. The sheer intensity of the heat caused the surroundings to shimmer, but Urg's vine structure, thick and moist, resisted the flames, drawing on the innate resilience of the plants from which he was made.

  Using this distraction, the elf tried to jab his fiery blade into Urg's core, but Urg had seen it coming. With a swift motion, he retracted and swiftly spun around, launching another spike, this one longer and sharper than before, straight into the elf's heart. The once fiery eyes of the elf dimmed, replaced by shock and disbelief. As he crumpled to the deck, the flames of his sword flickered out, leaving only darkness in their wake. Dark, wet spots spread across the deck as blood from numerous puncture wounds flowed freely from the now dead elf.

  Urg stood tall and victorious, the scent of burnt wood and scorched air permeating the environment. I could feel a pulse of excitement from him through the strange connection we shared. I sent back a sense of approval and then turned to focus on how the Galenians were faring.

  Through the smoky haze and sparks of combat, my gaze shifted from Urg's dominant victory to the intense skirmish unfolding between the Galenians and the elves. Dori, nimble as a shadow, darted between pools of light and dark, her dual daggers glinting menacingly. Crag, on the other hand, was an immovable mountain, his massive form wielding a two-handed war hammer with lethal precision.

  The dark-haired elf, wounded by Nevin's firebolt, stumbled to defend himself against the continuous assault. Nevin rarely fought up this close, but he was no slouch with his staff. I smiled as I thought about how much he liked to stay in the back, but now that wasn’t an option. The air around them was dense with the acrid scent of burnt fabric, the aftermath of the fiery magical onslaught that had met the elf. Even from here, my enhanced perception could pick it up.

  Nevin, a seasoned mage, didn’t allow his opponent any reprieve. From his staff, a bolt of electricity surged, aiming for the elf's heart. The elf managed to deflect it with a hastily conjured barrier, but the effort visibly drained him. With the elf’s defenses temporarily disrupted, Nevin took the opportunity and hurled another, much fiercer firebolt. It connected, enveloping the elf in a fiery maelstrom. When the flames subsided, there was nothing but ash.

  The victory was almost anti-climactic, but then I watched as Nevin nearly fell over. He caught himself with his staff, but that massively overcharged Firebolt must have taken something out of him.

  I shifted my focus then to the most intense part of the battle between Daina and the combined might of Dori and Crag. I worried for my friends as Daina was powerful. From what Anika had said, she was likely at least level 100 and had a Rare class. I would have yelled for them to run, since after all the elven ship was destroyed, but then I noticed the way that Daina was limping. Her leather pants were wet with blood and several other cuts, one quite deep marred her otherwise perfect face. The impact between ships had obviously injured her. Still, I held my breath as they clashed.

  Dori utilized her rogue abilities, flitting in and out of Daina’s vision, attempting to get a clear line for a sneak attack. Every now and then, the soft whistle of her poisoned dagger cutting the air could be heard as she aimed for a lethal strike. But Daina, with her ethereal speed and acute perception, managed to evade each time, teleporting just a few feet away in a swirl of golden light whenever Dori got too close.

  Crag tried to capitalize on these moments of distraction, swinging his colossal war hammer in arcing blows. However, Daina's power over nature was not to be underestimated. As Crag prepared to strike, a thick tendril of a vine, as quick as a whip, shot out from the deck, wrapping around the handle of his war hammer. Another vine ensnared his ankle, trying to pull him off balance.

  Then, Daina, with an elegant motion of her hand, summoned a horde of serpentine creatures. They hissed and writhed, lunging for Dori and Crag. Dori, agile as ever, danced between them, slashing with her daggers, each cut releasing a serpent from this plane. But one of Daina’s more powerful abilities came to the fore, as she momentarily froze Dori in place, her form stiff and unyielding.

  The easy way that Daina used so many spells and abilities woven together showed that she had earned her Rare class.

  Sensing his ally in peril, Crag summoned all his might and ripped free from the vines. With a bellow, he swung his war hammer, creating a shockwave that repelled the advancing serpents and gave Dori the fraction of a second she needed to break free from Daina's immobilizing spell.

  Dori, now with renewed vigor, stealthily positioned herself behind Daina. As the elf leader was busy deflecting another of Crag’s powerful blows, Dori found her opening. With a quick thrust, one of her poisoned daggers found its mark, piercing the vulnerable spot under Daina’s arm.

  Daina gasped, her brilliant blue eyes widening in surprise. The powerful poison rapidly coursed through her system. Even as she tried to counteract it with her magic, her strength ebbed away. In a last desperate move, she tried to summon another creature, but all that emerged was a weak wisp of light before she collapsed.

  With a shriek, she shouted, “I surrender.”

  Instantly a portal appeared around her and she was teleported away, wounded but alive, and no doubt eager for vengeance.

  By that time, Anika had gotten the ship righted, and we raced around the track only slowing as we completed a full loop in order for Urg and the Galenians to jump back on. I conjured small shields to act as stepping stones for them and soon our entire team was back on the deck of our ship.

  A few minutes later we completed the hundredth lap and were declared the victor. Notifications began to pop up, letting me know that various corporations from the wider multiverse wanted to offer me and/or Earth sponsorships. I wasn’t in the right state of mind to examine them now, but they gave me hope for the future.

  Sadly, the Crembori were unable to finish the hundred laps in the allotted time, and to my surprise we ended up gaining not only the 100,000 worlds points for first place but also the 25,000 for second place. It was a big win for Earth.

  We had to go through a short ceremony where we were named and presented to the audience, but as soon as that was over; we were released back to our own worlds through teleports. I promised the Galenians that I’d see them soon, but was glad to collapse on the floor of my own portal room. It had been a crazy week, and this was just the beginning.

  As I patted myself down, checking for any injuries I might have missed, I discovered something had been shoved into the pants pocket of my jeans. I didn’t know who had managed to do that without my realizing it, but when I pulled it out, I found a simple but thick piece of folded paper. It was more like card stock than regular paper.

  The writing inside was flowing, and what I would say was an elegant script. I read it once and then again. It had to have been either Anika or Nuri, but either way; it confirmed my earlier thought that this was only the beginning.

  You did passably well, but you also made a number of mistakes. If we are going to survive, you’re going to have to up your game. It’s about time you got some proper training. I’ll be seeing you soon.

  I grinned. Well, it looked like it was time for the training montage.

  Epilogue- Wild Game

  Morvarg stared at the back of his hand. The smooth skin was such a deep purple in hue that it looked black unless you were up close. He flexed his hand and stretched out his two fingers and thumb as he practiced making a fist again. Vampiric Drain had proven its worth again today. He would have died but for it or perhaps worse, he would have ended up injured for days or weeks.

  Someday that would all end. Someday he would gain access to the system and all of its resources. He knew that would be worth it. It had to be worth it or else the price he’d paid was too great.

  No he pushed that thought away. It didn’t usually bother him. He had transcended simple concepts like a conscience. He was going to be an immortal after all. That was what the little voice promised him. He shook his head and walked out from his home, or rather the building he was currently using as a home. It was close enough to the portal and had all the comforts his world offered, comforts which he had never had access to before becoming a Forerunner.

  He was glad that Vampiric Drain didn’t leave bodies behind, otherwise he would have been stumbling over the corpses of those he’d slain to claim this building. The blood splatter left behind by his scythe was already bad enough. Not that he would have cared if they’d been lesser beings, but he had quickly realized his powers would allow him to reap the uninducted with even greater ease than those who were already part of the system.

  Sure, each life that he reaped only contributed a fraction of the XP that system creatures granted but they were so easy to kill. For a moment, guilt threatened to surge up within him, but then he laughed, coldly. No, these pathetic things were not his people any more than a sclaeric scourge was the same as a flame pupa. Only one in a billion flame pupas managed to make the transition as they molted, but those that did were terrors amongst the natural world of Bar’jek. That was what he was. The one in a billion who rose up to become something more than what his people were.

  Slaughtering them wholesale had been easy. At first, he had to content himself with killing some neighbors. But the levels came quickly and Vampiric Drain gave him more than just XP from killing them. He gained boosts to his aura, bonus stats, and a deeper spiritual well of power which he was only beginning to understand.

  Over time, it became child’s play to kill them by the thousands. Bar’jek had not been a technological world when the system came with its challenge. Certainly, they were nothing like the Crembori who supposedly had a way to fly amongst the stars even before the system arrived. They weren’t even as advanced as the humans. No, their technology level was likely more akin to that of the elves but without the innate magical abilities of that race.

  Bar’jek had been the worst of the worlds chosen. Like Furloon, they were physically powerful compared to the other races, but the Furloon had their abilities to grow, natural toxins, and many other things. The Bar’jeki only had their physical durability. He knew that was why his path had been the only viable one. The other Forerunner’s hadn’t seen it that way. They’d tried to stop him, but now there were no more Bar’jeki to spawn new Forerunners. He was the last of his kind… no… he was the pinnacle of his kind. What did it matter that he had to slay them all to reach this point. A sclaeric scourge would have done the same.

  Now, he simply needed to continue gathering as much power as possible. He’d reached his Rare class- Chaos Reaper in a single year. Far less time than any of the Forerunners from other worlds, even those who came later and had the help of others. But the gap between Rare and Epic seemed to be vastly greater than Uncommon to Rare.

  He knew what his goal was though. He needed to reach Epic level before being admitted to the system. That would give him the greatest freedom and then he would find new worlds to harvest. For now he could only follow the missions that were given to him and look for any which would bring him into contact with other Forerunners. Reaping them might not be worth any more XP than other beings of their level, but it definitely netted him more power in all of the other aspects.

  It was a shame that they had all become so fearful of him. Still an event was coming, and he’d be ready. The Wild Hunt was a compulsory event for all five words and all living Forerunners. Six more months to wait and then he would feast again.

  This is the end of

  WELCOME TO THE MULTIVERSE-INDUCTION

  The tale continues in

  WELCOME TO THE MULTIVERSE-COUNTDOWN

  February 19th, 2024

  Final Stat Sheet

  These stats reflect the final XP that Silas gained for completing the Race of Worlds. He reached level 31 and assigned his free stat points as well.

  Name: Silas Renner

  Race: Human (Basic)

  Age: 22

  Height: 6’3”

  Weight: 196 lbs.

  Class: Druid-Shield Bearer-Projection Mage (common)

  Level: 31

  Total XP: 32,160

  XP to Next Level: 2,860

  Occupation: N/A

  Level: 0

  Total XP:

  Stats:

  Strength: 43 (+10%)

  Dexterity: 20

  Agility: 92

  Vitality: 111/91

  Durability: 75/60

  Endurance: 61/56

  Mind: 155 (+20%)

  Will: 130 (+10%)

  Charisma: 90 (+10%)

  Perception: 116 (+10%)

  Available Stat Points: 0

  HP: 1110

  HP Regen: 611/111/hour

  Stamina: 610

  Stamina Regen: 61/minute

  Mana: 1,860

  Mana Regen: 143/minute

  Titles:

  One Small Step/One Giant Leap: Double level related stat gains.

  Blood Bather III: Gain an evolution by bathing in the blood of an enemy.

  Smarter than Your Average Bear +10% effectiveness to Mind

  Here to Pump You Up: +10% effectiveness to Strength, +1 Strength/level

  I’ve Got My Eye on You: +10% effectiveness to Perception.

  Never Gonna Give Up: +10% effectiveness to Will

  Evolutions:

  Mana-infused Squirrel: 70%

  Spined Fox- Boss variant: Complete (spines)

  Feathered-Bear- Domain Apex variant: Complete (roar)

  Skills:

  Running: 12

  Throwing: 4

  Jumping: 4

  Blunt Weapons: 31/11

  Staff Combat: 22/2

  Short Blades: 7

  Grappling: 6

  Active Quests:

  None

  Active Abilities:

  1) Shield for All (Common)

  2) Shape Conjured Construct (rare)

  3) Mage Missile (Basic)

  Inheritance: Spirit Walk

  Passive Abilities:

  1) Adorably Harmless (Rare)

  2) Symbiotic Healing (Uncommon)

  3) Immobile Damage (Common)

  Inheritance: Inspiring Presence (Rare)

  Spells:

  Core Spells

  Bane-Boon (9%)

  Healing Grace (12%)

  Barbs of Slowing (14%)

  Levitation

  Frost Burst

  Inheritance: Eidolon (2%)

  Traits:

  -Forerunner Abilities:

  Identify (basic)

  Translate (common)

  Loot (uncommon)

  Save for Winter (unique-epic)

  Mini-Map (common)

  - Lifer- XP gained from quests and killing monsters while on Galen will increase by 25% or 50% while in the district containing Anwich. This will apply to party members and is multiplicative with party bonuses.