Death: Genesis

With a sharp exhale, Zeke emerged from the pool of the orange, semi-liquid substance. It had the consistency of pudding, and it had a habit of clinging to everything. However, over the last month, it had proved an invaluable healing aid. Without it, he wasn’t sure that he would have ever recovered at all, much less settle into his new strength. And he had gotten stronger, as well. The foray into the demon realm had been a boon, albeit one he’d barely managed to survive.

He threw his arms over the edge of the pool, feeling the rough, enchanted sandstone from which the Pools of Serenity had been constructed. Though he’d spent much of his recovery time studying the runes that ringed the pool, he’d come away without much to show for it. Certainly, he’d long since surmised that the enchantments were there to keep everything at the proper temperature and to prevent the stones from weathering, but the real magic came from the substance itself. Raphael had tried to explain it – apparently, it was the product of a team of alchemists who’d used some rare techniques to alter a naturally occurring spring – but that explanation had flown right over Zeke’s head. He might’ve been a bit of a prodigy when it came to runes, but the other major crafts, save for one, felt entirely foreign to him.

“How are you feeling?” asked Abby, lounging nearby on a comfortable, leather couch. She had a book propped in one hand, but Zeke knew from experience that she was watching everything. More than once, she’d accosted one of the pool’s workers, thinking they might be a threat. The demon realm had done a number on all of them, and though she tried to hide it, Abby’s mind was only just beginning to recover.

It shouldn’t have been that surprising. After all, they’d been bouncing from one crisis to another for quite some time. The only time they’d had a real chance to relax was when they’d been in Beacon, and even that had been tinged with danger. Since then, they’d fought through an army of zombies, confronted a full-fledged lich, infiltrated a frost giant city, battled thousands of enormous fire ants, and destroyed a giant bird-dinosaur amalgam. Not to mention the tribe of goat-men or the city of gnolls.

Then came the demon realm, where Zeke had been forced to scramble around for weeks in search of something that would allow his friends to survive the toxic atmosphere. Once he’d acquired a handful of crystals that would do just that, the entire group had set out to return to the mortal realm. But the way had been fraught with danger, and a horde of powerful demons had barred their passage. Touching on a concept that far exceeded his capabilities, Zeke had destroyed a good portion of that army, but it had left him scarred, injured, and close to death – a situation that was further exacerbated when the group had finally stepped through the portal and returned, only to be attacked by an enraged former Aztec warrior.

Using the last vestiges of the massive power he’d only barely touched, Zeke obliterated the man. And a good portion of the city of Jariq; it had cost him, though, and without the Pools of Serenity, he suspected that he would have been forced to live the rest of his life as a cripple. Given the way things worked in the Radiant Isles, that would have likely been a short life indeed.

“I feel good,” Zeke said with a sigh. “I don’t think there’s any real damage left. I won’t know for sure until I go all out, but it feels like I’m back to full strength.”

Abby sat up and set her book aside. Shaking her head, she said, “Monster.”

He pushed himself up to sit on the edge of the pool, letting his legs dangle into the mud-like substance. He was covered in the stuff, and it would take quite a bit of high-pressure water to change that. It clung to every crevice, and it dried pretty quickly. However, he didn’t make any moves toward the nearby showers. Instead, he looked around.

The pool dominated the room, the walls of which were covered in fanciful murals depicting various battle scenes. The style was a little too abstract for Zeke’s tastes, with the figures having angular figures and simplistic poses, but he couldn’t argue that it was the affect was impressive – even more so because of the flickering firelight that illuminated the space. Pedestals, upon which were dancing flames, surrounded the pool, and couches, chairs, and piles of cushions lined the walls. There was only one door, though Zeke suspected that one of the walls contained a hidden entrance.

In the silence, Zeke examined his status:

Name

Ezekiel Blackwood

Class

n/a

Level

23

Race

Cambion (G)

Alignment

Unchosen

Achievements

First Blood, Hasty Evolution, Above and Beyond, Genocide, Overachiever, Completionist, Beastmaster, Arachnophobia, Resistant, Lord of the Sewers, Skillsmith, Flayed, Icarus, Lazarus

Martial Path

Blunt Weapons (Force) – Novice (Peak), Shield – Novice (high)

Artisan Path

Runecraft – Novice (high)

Strength

513

Agility

314

Dexterity

362

Endurance

399

Vitality

385

Intelligence

277

Wisdom

354

Resistances

Fire

Ice

Water

Earth

Wind

Nature

Arcane

Poison

Disease

n/a

7

5

5

5

6

15

10

5

Not for the first time, Zeke marveled at his gains. Not only had he picked up more raw stat points than he could count – some via his natural gains from leveling, others from two new achievements, and still others from his evolved martial path – but he’d also managed to increase the percentage bonuses that counted for more and more as his stats ballooned into new tiers of power.

He examined the first new achievement, which he’d gained outside the shadow city in the demon realm. There, while fighting through a demon horde, he’d briefly touched upon a level of power that had all but destroyed his body. And the achievement showed that.

Icarus: Like Earth’s mythological figure, you have flown too close to the sun and meddled with powers you have no way to understand. That you survived should be reward enough. +10 to All Stats. + 10% to All Stats.

Despite the achievement’s wording, the stats awarded from the achievement almost made his brush with death seem worth it. Following from that was the next achievement:

Lazarus: Fate marked you for death, and yet, you survived. Whether it was skill or dumb luck, such a thing should be rewarded. +5 End, +25 Vit.

Snarky wording aside, Zeke couldn’t have been happier with the two achievements. Between them, he’d gained hundreds of stat points. However, his gains hadn’t ended there. Predictably, his martial path had progressed as well:

Martial Path: Blunt Weapons (Force) – Novice (Peak) – At the peak, you have begun to understand that no single weapon constitutes a path. Focus on the ideal, and you shall progress. Remain mired in uninspired thinking, and you will stagnate. +45 Str, Dex. +10% Str.

The text told him what he’d already begun to suspect. His glimpse into the higher tiers of power had shown him just how limited his understanding really was, but rather than be dissuaded by the obvious danger, he was invigorated by the power hovering just outside of his rich. One day, he’d grasp it, and when he did, nothing would be able to stop him.

Further, it seemed that his martial path was destined to evolve into something else. After seeing what he had seen, that made perfect sense. A mere weapon could not even begin to represent that force he’d felt, and he was eager to explore it further.

Still, Zeke was a little hesitant. After all, he didn’t want a repeat of what had happened in Mal’Araxis, did he? Not only would it destroy the city that had nursed him back to health, but he felt confident that it would result in his death. It was only through a series of fortunate coincidences that he’d managed to survive the first time.

“You’re miles away again,” said Abby, sitting down beside him. She crossed her legs under her and put her hand on his shoulder. “Are you sure you’re okay? I’m not just talking about physically, either. You went through a lot, and I’m worried about what it did to you.”

Zeke shook his head. “I’m fine,” he said. For the first few weeks, he’d struggled with having to leave Tucker behind. He’d gone back and forth, time and time again as he tried to think of how he could have done things differently. However, without the ability to go back in time and make different choices, it was all an exercise in futility. Zeke had made his decisions, and he had no choice but to stick with them.

Even so, his mind often wandered to the enigmatic alchemist who’d sacrificed himself to close the portal to the demon realm. It had been necessary, though Zeke kept wondering if he should’ve been the one to make that ultimate sacrifice. Despite Tucker’s assurances that he had a plan, Zeke wasn’t so naïve that he thought that the alchemist had survived. He’d been in an alien world with a toxic atmosphere and surrounded by a horde of bloodthirsty demons. Even Zeke, who, because of his transformation into a half-demon Cambion, was immune to the caustic atmosphere, would have struggled to punch through the army of angry demons. Imagining that Tucker could somehow manage was shear wishful thinking.

Even now, weeks later, Zeke was unsure how he felt about the alchemist. Certainly, they’d bonded over their shared southern heritage as well as being the only two men in the party. There was more to it than that – small moments here and there that could have eventually become a friendship. But then, Tucker was gone, and that carefully laid foundation had crumbled into dust.

“You’re thinking about him, aren’t you?” Abby asked.

Zeke nodded. “I guess I am,” he admitted. “I can’t help but wonder if there was another way. It was all happening so fast, and I’m sure that we missed something. Some way for all of us to survive.”

“Maybe,” she allowed. “But that doesn’t matter, does it? I didn’t like Tucker. He was amoral and self-serving. But in the end, he saved a lot of lives. That has to count for something.”

“I know,” was all Zeke said.

For a while, they sat there, silent and unmoving, save for Abby’s finger tracing a small pattern on Zeke’s shoulder. Finally, when the orange substance from the pool had dried, he pushed himself to his feet. “I think we’ve been sitting around for long enough. I need to do something productive.”

“You’re going back to that smithy, aren’t you?” Abby asked as Zeke strode toward the shower.

He looked back at her with a grin, saying, “It’s interesting. What can I say?”

She just shook her head and flicked a few chunks of the dried, mud-like substance from her fingers. Right before Zeke turned on the shower, she said, “I’m going to train.”

He nodded, then, after touching a metal plate in the shower, he injected a bit of mana. Thankfully, after all his healing, it no longer felt like someone was pouring molten lead through his veins. In fact, it didn’t hurt at all – a testament to the healing power of the Pools of Serenity. As soon as his mana took hold, a glass door slid closed and, a moment later, a series of high-pressure jets of water activated, scouring the goop from his body. It only lasted a few seconds, but even with Zeke’s high endurance, it left his skin red and stinging.

Once the shower was finished, he stepped out and found his way to the small chest that contained his clothing. Before he put them on, though, he looked into a nearby mirror. His skin still bore the evidence of his injuries, and his body was crisscrossed with a multitude of thin, pale scars that looked like his skin had been cracked into a thousand pieces, then put back together again.

Other than that, when he looked in the mirror, the same familiar reflection stared back at him. Although, if he looked at his eyes for long enough, he could see tiny motes of golden light streaking across his green irises. Otherwise, he didn’t look any different than most humans.

It was such a strange thing, acknowledging that he wasn’t one of them anymore, but over the previous couple of months, he’d come to terms with it. He wasn’t particularly happy about it, but he also couldn’t change it. So, he could only live with it and move on, which was precisely what he planned to do. Perhaps it would provide even more benefits in the future.

With a sigh, he reached down into the chest and retrieved his clothing. It was high-quality stuff, provided by Raphael Taggert, their host since they’d come to Jariq, but Zeke couldn’t help but miss his armor. Hopefully, that lack would change soon. So, after dressing himself in a pair of black trousers, a loose white shirt, and a set of black boots, he set out for the smithy, where he hoped to find his host.

The Pools of Serenity were in the heart of the Union, which, in turn, occupied the northern side of Jariq. It was one of the few territories that hadn’t been either overrun by demons or entirely destroyed by Zeke’s unleashed skill. The building itself resembled a temple, with the entrance to the Pools on the second level of a two-tiered ziggurat, the exterior walls of which were decorated with a variety of relief sculptures depicting scenes of cleansing and renewal. As far as Zeke could tell, they had nothing to do with the Pool’s effects, but they weren’t entirely without power, either.

As he exited the room, Zeke quickly made his way down the hall, ignoring the identical rooms that lined the corridor. Most were empty, with open doors, but a couple were clearly occupied. Zeke strode down the hall with confidence, eventually emerging into a lobby. It was mostly empty, save for a single desk occupied by one of the Union’s elites. He gave the robed woman a nod before exiting through the huge set of bronze doors. They creaked as he pushed through them, slamming shut with finality as he left the temple behind and descended the steps.

It felt good to finally be healthy enough to get by on his own power.

“You can stop hiding,” he said as he reached the base. “I know you’re there.”

A moment later, Talia emerged from a deep shadow, putting down the hood she’d adopted since they’d arrived in Jariq. It was a necessity; at a glance, the girl looked human enough, but any close inspection would yield troubling results. It was best if she remained hidden, especially given the rumors out of Beacon and the surrounding territories.

“Did you see me?” she asked, falling in beside him.

He shook his head. “No,” he stated. “But I knew you were there. I can’t really explain it.”

Though it wasn’t reflected in his status page, he’d experienced another change within the demon realm. He could sense people, now. Zeke had no idea what it was that he was sensing, but he knew when someone came within fifty feet of him. It was subtle and easily ignored, but when he focused, it was always there. That was how he’d found Talia. Otherwise, she’d been all but invisible.

“I don’t need a minder, you know,” he said, continuing along his way. Talia kept up with him easily, but she didn’t respond. Not a big talker, Talia, but Zeke had to admit that her presence was comforting.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Zeke made his way toward the Foundry. There, he hoped he would finally get his new set of armor. And failing that, he would at least see Raphael work. He wasn’t sure which one he wanted more, though.