Azuria broke the silence with genuine confusion rather than the expected fury. She tilted her head slightly. “Why are we even discussing this? If there is a threat, we fly out and face him. I’ll bite his head from his shoulders. That is how a dragon deals with foes.” The simplicity of it wasn’t arrogance, not entirely, but the perspective of a being who had rarely encountered something she could not overwhelm.

  No one answered her right away. The room sat in that tension, the unspoken truth hanging between us that this enemy was not like the others we had faced. This wasn’t a problem that could be solved by strength alone, and every one of us knew it, even if we weren’t ready to say it yet.

  I took a breath and forced myself to slow down before I spoke. “I ran into Kalix directly,” I said, keeping my voice level even though the memory still made my shoulders tense. “Not in a full fight, not really. He locked me in place like it was nothing and examined me the way a craftsman looks at a flawed tool. I got away, but only barely, and only because I burned through everything I had and then some.”

  That got their attention. I took some time and explained about my experiences in the dungeon, although it sounded like Violet had already shared some of that.

  “There’s a difference between legendary and ascendant that stats don’t really capture,” I continued. “I’ve always been really proud of my stats, but they were numbers on a page compared to this man.”

  Samvek laughed. “Your stats are broken, anyway.”

  I nodded at my mentor and continued while Selena pinched my side affectionately. “People like Samvek and Selena have been trying to explain it to me for a long while, and at some level, I’ve always known it. Stats don’t matter as much in those situations.” I looked directly at Azuria when I said that, not as a challenge but as a warning. “I’ve stood face to face with more than one ascendant, and even fought one while managing to drive them off, but before you get your hopes up, I used an ability that I can only use once every ten years to drive her away. I couldn’t come close to killing her.”

  But my arrogance sprang up again. “What I sensed from Kalix was nothing compared to the power of the matriarch I fought, though, and she was nothing compared to some like Selena’s father, or my adopted father.”

  Selena added, “Even amongst ascendants, not all are equal. But shedding the bonds of mortality creates a gap in power that stats can’t bridge.”

  I nodded. As I’d learned the hard way, even a weak ascendant was more than a match for me. But I felt like if Tad, Selena, Samvek, Azuria, and I went all-out, especially with Talia to heal us, we’d have a decent chance of taking him down. None of us were run-of-the-mill legendaries, and Tad seemed to be especially adept at dealing with the Order, but would it really be worth it if half or more of us died?

  Azuria bristled immediately, chin lifting and eyes flashing. “Dragons are not weak,” she said, a low growl under her words. “We do not run and hide in fear.” The confidence was real, earned even, but it was also incomplete.

  Samvek didn’t contradict her outright. He stepped closer instead, resting a hand against her arm in a grounding gesture. “Nobody is saying you’re weak,” he said quietly. “But this enemy is different. Power alone might not be enough, not without a plan.” Azuria’s jaw tightened, but after a moment she gave a sharp nod and didn’t argue further. Then he whispered, “Even Nico listens to Cami. Please trust me, my friend.”

  The dragon woman frowned and looked past me, gaze unfocusing as if she were listening to something the rest of us couldn’t hear. “There is another,” she said slowly. “Not the one you fought. Another presence, nearby, hidden but watching.” Her eyes narrowed. “Fey.”

  Everyone turned to Tad.

  Before he could speak, I felt it too. It was faint, cloaked so thoroughly that I knew I never would have noticed it without System Sight and the changes I’d undergone. It wasn’t pressing or hostile, just… there, like someone standing in the next room with the door closed. “She’s right,” I said after a moment. “There’s another ascendant presence close to Basetown, deliberately concealed. Although I could only see through the cloaking with System Sight, and wouldn’t have even looked if she hadn’t said anything.”

  Azuria stood a bit straighter and looked like she was about to start preening herself. “Dragons are the ultimate hunters, so I’m not sure why it should be that surprising.”

  Tad swallowed. “That has to be my aunt,” he said. “As far as I know, she’s the only one who was on Aerth prior to the prohibition on higher-tiered people coming here.” A few people immediately assumed that meant help was guaranteed, but Tad shook his head before anyone could voice it. “I don’t know if I can trust her. My family… uh… it isn’t… simple.”

  Tad’s shoulders slumped a fraction as he said it, the tension in him shifting from fear to something closer to resignation. “I’ve never met her, but this complicates things,” he admitted. “She’s powerful, and she’s clever, but that doesn’t mean she’s on my side. I met an elf that she’d warped and corrupted with an imperfect awakening. I didn’t understand at the time quite what that meant, but if she is willing to do that, then how can I trust her?” He rubbed his hands together, a nervous habit I’d seen more than once now. “If I ask her directly, she might just take me and leave Aerth. I didn’t get the feeling from her servant that she cared one bit about Aerth or the people here.”

  That hesitation sparked something in my memory, a loose thread I hadn’t tugged on yet because it hadn’t felt like the right moment. I reached into Save for Winter and withdrew a small vial that seemed to drink in the light around it. The liquid inside was dense and luminous at the same time, swirling with contained potential that made my skin prickle. “I know we told you about this before, and how the dungeon had given it to me as a reward with an offer from the Ways to become their herald. I’ve since learned a great deal more about what that would entail and decided it’s not for me. That said, I’ve come to another understanding with the Ways. They told me to give this to you.”

  Tad took the potion and examined it. “Uh, I don’t think that I’ll be able to suddenly ascend with this.”

  I shook my head. “The Ways said as much, but they said that you’d find a use for it.”

  “What about you though? Surely you could find some other use for it. You have to be able to feel the potency contained inside.”

  I nodded. “The dungeon already gave me a replacement prize. I have a feeling that this was always destined for you.”

  For a long moment, Tad just held it, staring down at the vial as if it might speak to him. Then his expression shifted, the worry lines on his face easing as something clicked into place. A small, genuine smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “I think… I think I might know what to do with this,” he said quietly.

  He didn’t elaborate, but the resolve in his posture was unmistakable. Whatever idea had taken root, it steadied him in a way nothing else had so far. Watching that, I felt a flicker of relief. We still had a brutal fight ahead of us, and the odds were far from comfortable, but this gave Tad an option that wasn’t just running into a trap.

  “Good,” I said, letting my hand fall back to my side. “Because if we’re going to face an ascendant and everything that comes with him, we’re going to need every edge we can get.”

  We shifted into assessment mode after that, the kind born from necessity rather than optimism. I laid it out plainly, because false confidence would get people killed faster than fear ever could. Kalix was an ascendant entrenched in his own prepared ground, supported by more than a hundred legendaries who believed utterly in what they were doing. Belief like that mattered, because it let people push past pain and logic, and the Order had plenty of both. In fact, since we were trying to be precise, I checked my quest. There were still 115 legendary-tier members of the Order and 198 weaker ones. I was confident that the adventurers could cut through the latter. They were all level 150 now, and with Clay and Oliver to lead them, that shouldn’t be a stretch at all.

  The problem was that if we had to deal directly with Kalix, that would leave only Fara, Lexa, Violet, and the elves to battle 115 awakened, most of whom outleveled them significantly. The 25% boost that they got from Tad, aside from Violet, would help, but the numbers were still heavily slanted against them. Geminus made it clear that he wasn’t a combatant, but he would still defend himself.

  Violet was the X-factor. Her claymore mines and weapon had seemed effective enough, but I wasn’t sure how many times she could do that. “Hey, Violet, I’ve been meaning to ask you. The sense of power I get from you puts you on par with Fara or Lexa, but your level only registers as 100.”

  She nodded. “That’s the highest level you can obtain in Legends of Selmia. One of my friends said the game only really begins once you reach level 100. After that advancement comes with titles, gear, various quest perks, and most importantly, A.A.”

  “A.A.?”

  “Alternative advancement. Don’t ask me to explain it all as I don’t know how it works, but it takes XP and improves me—stat boosts, regen boosts, special abilities related to my class, et cetera.”

  I nodded. “So the level without the level. Gotcha.” That made me feel a little better and helped me formulate a plan, as uncertain as it was.

  I walked them through how I saw the battlefield shaping up. Samvek, Selena, Tad, Azuria, and I were each stronger than any of the Order’s legendaries on an individual level. That much I was certain of, and it wasn’t arrogance, just experience talking. The problem was that we had no idea if it would be possible to peel some of the legendaries away, and once we were engaged with Kalix, we’d be locked down and unable to come to the aid of the others, as we’d be fighting for our lives.

  Fara translated my ideas into tactical realities. She was confident she could eliminate high-value targets among the Order’s legendaries if the chaos was high enough. Lexa and the elves could anchor sections of the battlefield, and Oliver and Clay were more than capable of coordinating the adventurers into something more cohesive than a panicked mob. Even so, every advantage they had would evaporate the moment Kalix decided to stop observing and start acting.

  Azuria listened in silence this time, her earlier bluster tempered by Samvek’s steady presence beside her. When I finished, she let out a slow breath through her nose, the faintest curl of smoke escaping with it. “If it were only him, I would still say we kill him,” she said, more thoughtfully now. “But I see the problem. He will not stand alone, and he will not fight fairly.” There was no shame in her admission, only recalibration.

  “I have something that could make a big boom,” Violet said, “and would likely draw a lot of attention, but the collateral damage… let’s just say we should consider it only as a last resort. If even an ogre doesn’t want me to use it, then maybe I should never have made it.”

  The conclusion settled over us, whether anyone wanted it to or not. Without intervention from another ascendant, our odds were slim—not impossible, but unacceptably costly. Too many of us would die, and too many innocents would pay the price before we even reached Kalix. The room grew quiet as that truth sank in, each of us measuring what we were willing to lose.

  I broke the silence. “That means we need your aunt,” I said, looking directly at Tad. “Not as a last-minute miracle, but as a counterweight. Someone who can meet Kalix on his level and keep him occupied long enough for the rest of us to do our jobs.” Tad flinched, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he looked resigned.

  I continued before he could respond. “But just because we have to make contact with her, doesn’t mean that it has to be you. I can find her and speak to her. Perhaps there’s a deal to be made.”

  Selena objected. “Wait, so you, the guy who was pursued across the Heavens by a bunch of women who were either pushed at him or simply wanted to make their name with him, want to put yourself alone with an ascendant who, by all accounts, is lacking in self-control? And you think I’m gonna be okay with that?”

  I shook my head. “Thanks for caring, sweetie… Nope. That won’t work for a pet name. I’ll have to work on it. And no, I wasn’t planning on going alone. I was planning on you coming with me.”

  She grinned. “Okay. Now you’ve got my vote.”

  Chapter Seventy-Two: Upgrades

  Selena and I prepped to go and see Tad’s aunt, but before we left, I motioned for Samvek to come over. Talia and Azuria came with him, neither willing to leave his side. “Before I go, I wanted to show you a pair of new items that I got, then ask your advice about how to use them. Also, I’ve been putting off talking to you about possible upgrades to Terrakinesis, but if there’s any chance that we can lure the ascendant into Spot’s dungeon, it would be stupid not to have my most powerful tool operating at its best.”

  They all nodded, except for Azuria, who seemed bored as usual, so I projected my available upgrade options for Terrakinesis.

  Terrakinesis—Colonizer: With this evolution, Terrakinesis will grow as you grow, but its function will largely remain the same. However, you will be able to use Terrakinesis on any world which you have gained 51% or more control over.

  Terrakinesis—Home Builder: With this evolution, the range and amount of matter that you can affect with Terrakinesis will be dramatically increased, so long as you are only affecting inorganic material and are attempting to build something permanent. The new range will be up to a quarter mile in all directions, with a 1% increase for every percentage point of growth you make on the ability.

  Terrakinesis—Zookeeper: Terrakinesis has grown to be capable of affecting any matter which is native to Earth, including biological organisms. The ability will continue to work as it does now, but your greatest gains will be awarded when affecting biological matter. Terrakinesis can affect any being on the surface of the planet.

  Talia’s eyes grew wide, while Samvek rolled his. “Of course you’d get options like this,” he said. “The system is clearly trying to get you to choose a direction.”

  “Sorry if this is a stupid question,” Talia began, “but if we were able to lure their ascendant into Spot’s dungeon, where you can use Terrakinesis despite not being on Earth, then wouldn’t Zookeeper essentially win the day?”

  Selena stepped in to answer. “An ascendant has a physical body, but they don’t die just because their physical body does. You have to quash the spark of the divine that they’ve reached. Destroy their soul, so to speak. If Silas could destroy the ascendant’s body, then it would weaken him for sure, but he could create a new physical form fairly quickly depending upon his level of skill and power.

  “Besides, this can’t be a decision only made for the short-term. I do understand that the future doesn’t mean anything if we die today, but dying isn’t a guarantee. I think the choice is obvious.”

  Talia glanced over at Samvek, who nodded in encouragement. “I wasn’t talking about destroying his physical form, but rather rendering it inert,” she said. “Surely that would affect even an ascendant. But that aside, which option do you think is the obvious one?”

  “Colonizer, of course,” Selena replied. “Silas’ oath to me will end up making me the founding matriarch of House Renner. Our children will be the descendants of Abel Kalestian and House Turga. That is as impressive of a pedigree as one can get. But we will need more worlds to expand into, and being able to use Terrakinesis on any world he controls would give us a great foundation to build on.”

  Samvek chuckled. “Looks like she’s already planning your future for you.” He shut up when Talia elbowed him in the ribs.

  For some reason, Azuria finally looked interested. “Dragons don’t mate for life. The bond is the closest thing we have to it. But I expect Samvek to look for ways to make us both stronger. Why would it be inappropriate for a human to expect the same of their mate?”

  This was going down a rabbit hole, and quick. “It isn’t. There’s nothing wrong with it,” I said, giving Selena a sheepish grin. “Initially, I was leaning toward Home Builder because I want to make Earth as strong as possible, but Selena makes a good point.” I looked over at Talia. “Not that you don’t as well. I can already modify Earth-based organisms, but would never do it unless it was voluntary. I think that’s just a line I’m not prepared to cross.”

  The looks I got from them said it all. Not one of them fully understood my thought process, but in my mind, modifying someone genetically, even if I thought it was to their benefit, was too much like what had been done to Asta, and what Asta was fiddling around with even now. I wasn’t prepared for that. It was one of those powers that gave birth to the expression about absolute power corrupting absolutely.

  “Unless you have something to add, Samvek, I think I’ll go long-term with Terrakinesis and follow my fiancée’s advice.” He nodded in agreement, so I triggered the choice and got a little surprise with the notification.

  Terrakinesis (Epic) has been upgraded to Terrakinesis—Colonizer (Legendary 1%). With this evolution, Terrakinesis will grow as you grow, but its function will largely remain the same. However, you will be able to use Terrakinesis on any world which you have gained 51% or more control over.

  An updated synergy has been identified with your status as a Seed-Bearer of the Ways. This is another form of colonization, and will mesh with Terrakinesis.

  You will now be able to use Terrakinesis on any world where you plant a Seed of the Ways, or on this world—Aerth—as it is the place that your pact with the Ways was made. However, unless you gain 51% control of the world, you will only be able to manipulate inorganic material with this ability.