The air was still and stale in the sandy pit where Hazimon had been waiting. Him glaring at us with the promise of vengeance and the body simply standing there looking frustrated.

Though in truth, it would have been very difficult to put all the frustration I was really feeling into simple gestures or even words.

'All you had to do was say yes.' I groaned internally. 'How hard would that have been? Just overlook the insult to your principles this one time and walk away with your trophies. How hard would that have been? How little of a price would you have had to pay in exchange for getting everything you've ever wanted?'

I certainly don't think I would have had this kind of problem. Though in truth, I wasn't particularly interested in Ascencion or the wider politicking of the Labyrinth. I'd wanted to be anything other than a Telepath for a while, but that was a childish dream that soon faded. I would have been fine with the Types I'd secured if it meant destroying Periwig and his ilk. Hazimon popping in and giving me another avenue didn't really change things.

I sighed and so did the body.

"I imagine there's a reason you wanted to keep me here as well." The body commented. "My guess being that out there, you'd have to actually hunt me down. Copy after copy. While in here, in the Tutorial, I remain a rule-breaker and you a high Enforcer."

The body walked forwards at a leisurely pace.

"I'm guessing all the people I've healed are connected to me and will die alongside me if you push a button." The body paused. "So long as we're both in the Tutorial of course. I also suppose you'll lose your enforcer status, but that you'll be quite a way beyond caring at that point."

"Correct." He stated plainly. "I don't know how you found out, and I don't care."

My host broke out into a bout of comically evil laughter on our side of the screen.

"But you are correct. It will be painless, at least. More kindness than the likes of you deserve." Hazimon continued on the other side.

The body nodded.

"You realize that by saying this, you also admit to wanting to kill my parents and my friends and anyone I've ever healed. Even those outside the Tutorial."

"I am aware of the lengths to which you've gone in order to ensure your own survival." Hazimon spat. "Your hostages will not save you. No matter how many of them there are. If you want to blame anyone, blame yourself for continually breaking the rules while at the System's mercy. The System is absolute."

"Is it?"

They were two words. Just two little words, but the effect they had on Hazimon was telling. He looked uncomfortable for the first time since our meeting began. Awkwardly shifting his posture before catching himself.

"Stop this nonsense. Gnome. Accept your fate already. The clock is ticking and you doom more of your kind with every word you waste."

"I'm just pointing out that the System was created on very loose frameworks. All things considered. Why, a little bird once told me a story."

The body coughed and my host looked pleased as punch beside me.

"You see, time is very, very relative in Pandemonium. You may think something has already happened or will happen in five years, yet things from the past and future can present themselves at once. It is a phenomenon that the learned scholars of the Labyrinth refer to as the Early Dawn. Due to the fact that some of the ascended Divines, those who were proficient Telepaths first and foremost, had realms in Pandemonium before developing the abilities that would allow them to forge such realms. There, on the other side, it was as if they had always been Divines, even before they were born. Once they ascended, it was as if they had always been there as Divines. From the very beginning. Worse, they can send their most ardent believers to Pandemonium as well. Turning sycophants into Intruders after death so that they might do their bidding unto eternity."

The body finished the quote and my host turned to me.

"Sully, I am honestly not kidding when I say this. Turning my words on Hazi-boy. At this junction, might be the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me."

He paused and fluttered his feminine eyebrows seductively.

"Have you actually considered being lovers? I know I prefer male shapes but I can be flexible. You yourself have my own powers, so I know you can be flexible too. The more I see of you, of what you've become, the more I think we were made for each other darling. I can show you pleasures unseen and beyond your imagination. Oh, just imagine the kids we could have Sully! The power!"

"Enough." I sighed. "Focus on the screen. You're not out of the woods yet."

"Oh, but how you love to spoil my fun Sully! You tease!"

My host turned back to the screen regardless. Eyes wide and taking it all in. Like a child during Christmas morning seeing a dozen heavy packages under the tree.

Hazimon narrowed his eyes.

"What are you trying to say?"

"Only that the System was created by a bunch of Divines working in concert. Some of whom were more akin to random collections of floating goop in the realm of Pandemonium at the time of the first Divine's ascension. Quite a few were born and ascended after the fact. A few of those originals still haven't ascended to this day."

Hazimon actually laughed at that.

"And so, I should spare you, because what? You claim to have been loosely tied to creating the System sometime before you were born?"

"Sometime in the future to be precise." I corrected. "Time being very relative over on the other side of the Veil."

"You are speaking nonsense. Con-gnome." Hazimon barked out another laugh.

"Am I?" The body said casually. "Tell me Hazimon, have you ever heard of Gozo? Have you ever seen the System giving you an Error message?"

He stopped laughing.

"Of course I've heard of Gozo. But you aren't him. And no. It is impossible for the System to have such things as error messages. It cannot happen."

"It happened to me." The body informed him. "It happened when I degraded the Veil around Granny Golden for the first time. And a couple of times afterwards. I have seen many error messages thereafter. Though less and less as time goes on. Coincidentally, did you know that the building blocks those first Divines laid out are still there? Holding the whole house of cards together? Also, did you know I once created a drone for a school project in University? One that meant a lot to me personally? I was thinking about it when I first came across Dusty and Slab. Back when they were holding Randall's arm. The idea behind it was…"

"Enough." Hazimon snapped. Moving closer towards the body. "I tire of your pathetic attempts at misdirection. Give me the Types. Now."

I sighed again and so did the body on the other side.

"There really is no other way?"

"There was never any other way." Hazimon corrected.

My host tittered again. Squealing in excitement while his feminine form jumped up and down. His assets shaking with every excited hop.

"As you wish then." The body said sadly. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry it had to be this way."

The body nodded and connected with Hazimon. Fulfilling the new contract and gaining a new Type in kind. All while the me on this side connected with my host. Him going so far as to scream in ecstasy while the change took place.

System Notice:

New Type unlocked! Student: Solomon Carter, has unlocked the Enhancer Type! Student: Solomon Carter, has unlocked all four Types! Congratulations and best of luck in your future training!

Hazimon must have gotten the message as well, because most of the irritation left his face.

"Ah. Finally. At last. I have become all I was ever destined to be. Whole in body and mind."

He looked far more relaxed.

"Take heart, gnome. I will keep my word. A gentle, painless death for you and all those you've condemned."

He paused to steady himself.

"I hope they can forgive you for killing them."

He said this without an ounce of sarcasm or irony on his voice. His clawed finger instead moving to a System screen I could not see.

He pressed it.

We all saw the message.

Error! Invalid Target!

He blinked.

Then stopped.

Then blinked again.

At that moment, no less than three novellas could have been written about the expression on Hazimon's face. Such was his surprise and bewilderment.

He pressed the button again.

Error! Invalid Target!

And again.

Error! Invalid Target!

And again.

Error! Invalid Target!

"I believe that's what the kids call shocked chipokomon face." The body observed. "I did warn you though. I had many contingencies put into place. Not like you cared to listen."

He blinked.

Then he rapidly went over the rest of the information available to him. His brain having apparently started malfunctioning.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"Wait a second. It says here you got all four Types. But I didn't see you get Projector. Come to think of it, I didn't even see you connecting to Ran…"

Randall de-materialized. The Intruder vanishing back to Pandemonium as the flesh puppet collapsed onto the sandy floor.

Hazimon blinked again.

"That show I put on for Charlie in his world wasn't only for his benefit." The body explained. "Randall saw me too. All of me and all of what I stood for."

The body nodded.

"On that much, you were right. He did change. He did so right in my realm. Where the unreality of the place was so distorted that the System couldn't quite make out what was happening. He saw what I stood for and he made his choice."

"But…how…?" "The ability is high enough in level." I explained. "That I can use it three times. It's once per every 15 levels every year after all. I boosted him twice and then I linked us together. Making him an Intruder afterwards, so he could come and go as he pleased. That was my second time. Leaving me a third time to connect with you. And someone else."

Hazimon blinked again.

"Someone else?"

My host was going through his gains at the moment. Giggling like a girl about to crowned homecoming queen.

"Never mind that now." The body barreled on. "If you see Mitten's status again, you'll notice his name is next to Anezka's in brackets. Because he is a foreign thing in her body. But Randall's new body was always designed for him. The System keeps the names intact if the Student becomes an Intruder in these cases. After all, he is still Randall's essence in Randall's body. From a System perspective, not much has changed within the Tutorial."

Hazimon pointed at the slumped ragdoll of a corpse and then at me. Making confused noises as he did so.

"But, why? How?"

"The contract you wrote never specified how you got Projector." I explained. "Only that you were to get Projector from the use of my power. That's a little lesson you should have learned by now Hazimon. Always read the fine print. I know lawyers in my world who would have (Gnome)ed you bloody due to a lapse like that."

"But… your status…"

I allowed him to pull it up. Then I indicated to a certain section.

[Solomon's Impenetrable Obfuscation X]

Grants the User the ability to passively and actively remove themselves and allies from the senses of targets within the range of [Sense Thoughts] or derivatives.

The passive effects increase in potency by + 20% per current ability level at no cost.

The active effects increase in potency by + 50% per current ability level at a cost of 500 Psy per second.

User becomes able to maintain these effects while performing aggressive actions at an additional cost of + 2000 Psy per second.

The potency of all these effects increases by 250% every five levels. The cost of maintaining these effects decrease by -30% per every five levels.

These effects can be overcharged with Psy through this ability.

"This is a combination of [Hide], [Mask], [Hidden Danger], [Muffle], [Faint Presence], [Blind], [Deafen], [Anosmia], [Mark Target] and [Hum of Mist]. Tell me, Hazimon, does this look right to you?"

He stuttered.

"Does this look like the description of a Tier 10 ability?"

His features finally lost that self-righteous tone. Turning sour and despairing in a heartbeat.

"No."

He looked at me.

"No. You didn't. You couldn't…"

"Yes." I corrected. "This is what the ability actually looks like."

[Solomon's Impenetrable Obfuscation X]

Grants the User the ability to passively and actively remove themselves and allies from the senses of targets within the range of [Sense Thoughts] or derivatives.

The passive effects increase in potency by + 20% per current ability level at no cost.

The active effects increase in potency by + 50% per current ability level at a cost of 500 Psy per second.

User becomes able to maintain these effects while performing aggressive actions at an additional cost of + 2000 Psy per second.

User becomes able to suppress the senses of other enlightened species and force them to see false information regarding the User at a rate of + 50% per current ability level and at a cost of 500 Psy per second. This ability may obscure information from the System at a cost of 15, 000 Psy per hour per fraction of information.

The potency of all these effects increases by 250% every five levels. The cost of maintaining these effects decrease by -30% per every five levels.

These effects can be overcharged with Psy through this ability.

"That ability is level 31, by the way." The body coughed into its hand. "Or rather, it shows up as 31 on my Status. As you can no doubt guess, things didn't quite work out that way. Oh, and you were wrong about something else. I didn't just copy Randall's powers thank you very much. I only half copied them. A fair few are of my own creation. Though based on his."

The body waved a finger in the air.

"This is what my actual status looks like."

Name:

Solomon Carter

Psy:

449, 643, 289, 600 / 459, 643, 289, 600

Type:

Telepath IX Level 404 / Shifter V Level 240 / Projector IX Level 404 / Enhancer I Level 1

Telepath Abilities:

[Solomon's Inescapable Domination X] 53 / [Solomon's Overwhelming Avatar X] 49 / [Solomon's Inexorable Presence X] 47 / [Solomon's Limited Omniscience X] 52 / [Solomon's Impenetrable Obfuscation X] 52 / [Solomon's Righteous Indignation X] 43 / [Solomon's Enduring Empathy X] 41 / [Solomon's Empowering Majesty X] 42

Shifter Abilities:

[Solomon's Perfect Vicissitude X] 35 / [Solomon's Protean Form X] 26 / [Solomon's Bio-Chemical Thaumaturgy X] 16 / [Energy Regulation IV] 14 / [Social Hunter IV] 15 / [Mobile Spore Contagion IV] 23 / [Metallic Hide II] 12 / [Serrated Fur II] 9 / [Bio-Sonar IV] 11 / [Olfactory Mastery III] 11 / [Vision Mastery III] 11 / [Chitin] 7 / [Feathers] 4 / [Eusocial Instincts] 2 / [Stinger] 2 / [Pressurization Tolerance] 4 / [De-Pressurization Tolerance] 3 / [Claws] 3 / [Proprioception] 3 / [Eyes] 2 / [Nose] 2 / [Tongue] 2 / [Incorporate Liquid] 2 / [Incorporate Gas] 1 / [Vocalization] 8

Projector Abilities:

[Solomon's Unrelenting Force X] 53 / [Solomon's Frostfire Mantle X] 41 / [Solomon's Bottomless Power X] 46 / [Solomon's Crushing Pressure X] 41 / [Solomon's World Over Heaven X] 45 / [Solomon's Unstoppable Charge X] 41 / [Solomon's Forgiving Sight X] 41

Enhancer Abilities:

[Enhanced Strength] 1 / [Enhanced Dexterity] 1 / [Enhanced Constitution] 1

Ability Points:

2

"Now, let me just put those two last points to use and…

Name:

Solomon Carter

Psy:

449, 643, 289, 600 / 459, 643, 289, 600

Type:

Telepath IX Level 404 / Shifter V Level 240 / Projector IX Level 404 / Enhancer I Level 1

Telepath Abilities:

[Solomon's Inescapable Domination X] 53 / [Solomon's Overwhelming Avatar X] 49 / [Solomon's Inexorable Presence X] 47 / [Solomon's Limited Omniscience X] 52 / [Solomon's Impenetrable Obfuscation X] 52 / [Solomon's Righteous Indignation X] 43 / [Solomon's Enduring Empathy X] 41 / [Solomon's Empowering Majesty X] 42

Shifter Abilities:

[Solomon's Perfect Vicissitude X] 35 / [Solomon's Protean Form X] 26 / [Solomon's Bio-Chemical Thaumaturgy X] 16 / [Energy Regulation IV] 14 / [Social Hunter IV] 15 / [Mobile Spore Contagion IV] 23 / [Metallic Hide II] 12 / [Serrated Fur II] 9 / [Bio-Sonar IV] 11 / [Olfactory Mastery III] 11 / [Vision Mastery III] 11 / [Chitin] 7 / [Feathers] 4 / [Eusocial Instincts] 2 / [Stinger] 2 / [Pressurization Tolerance] 4 / [De-Pressurization Tolerance] 3 / [Claws] 3 / [Proprioception] 3 / [Eyes] 2 / [Nose] 2 / [Tongue] 2 / [Incorporate Liquid] 2 / [Incorporate Gas] 1 / [Vocalization] 8

Projector Abilities:

[Solomon's Unrelenting Force X] 53 / [Solomon's Frostfire Mantle X] 41 / [Solomon's Bottomless Power X] 46 / [Solomon's Crushing Pressure X] 41 / [Solomon's World Over Heaven X] 45 / [Solomon's Unstoppable Charge X] 41 / [Solomon's Forgiving Sight X] 41

Enhancer Abilities:

[Enhanced Strength] 1 / [Enhanced Dexterity] 1 / [Enhanced Constitution] 1 / [Enhanced Training] 1 / [Enhanced Toughness] 1

Ability Points:

0

"There! That's much better! Why, it definitely seems like [Enhanced Training] 1 and [Enhanced Toughness] 1 might see some use sooner or later. Or rather, more sooner than later. Oh don't mind me. I don't know what I'm talking about."

The attempt at a bad joke didn't get through to old master Hazimon, if his aimless face was any indication.

"Let me just break it down in a way you'll understand."

"[Solomon's Unrelenting Force X] = [Force Bubble] / [Force Wall] / [Force Bolt] / [Spark Bubble] / [Spark Wall] / [Spark Bolt] [Sonic Bubble] / [Sonic Wall] / [Sonic Bolt] / [Resonance]"

"[Solomon's Frostfire Mantle X] = [Fire Bubble] / [Fire Wall] / [Fire Bolt] / [Frost Bubble] / [Frost Wall] / [Frost Bolt] [Photon Bubble] / [Photon Wall] / [Photon Bolt] / [Reverse Gravity]"

"[Solomon's Bottomless Power X] = [Absorb Heat] / [Absorb Electricity] / [Absorb Kinetic] / [Absorb Radiation] / [Absorb Sound] / [Reservoir] / [Conversion to Psy] [Attune to Solid] / [Attune to Liquid] / [Attune to Gas] / [Attune to Wavelength]"

"[Solomon's Crushing Pressure X] = [Pressurize] / [Depressurize] / [Condensation] / [Vaporization] / [Freezing] / [Melting] / [Corrosion] / [Hold Attuned Compound] / [Organize Attuned Compound] / [Throw Attuned Compound] / [Amplify Gravity]"

"[Solomon's World Over Heaven X] = [Distort Space] / [Mend Space] / [Local Banishment] / [Local Apport] / [Local Portal] / [Local Jump] / [Local Regression] / [Local Progression] / [Local Stop] / [Mend Time]"

"[Solomon's Unstoppable Charge X] = [Accelerate] / [Decelerate] / [Phase Through Solid] / [Phase Through Liquid] / [Phase Through Gas] / [Phase Through Heated Material] / [Phase Through Frigid Material] / [Phase Through Electrified Material] / [Group Phasing] / [Forced Phasing]"

"[Solomon's Forgiving Sight X] = [Sense Heat] / [Sense Electricity] / [Sense Kinetic] / [Sense Radiation] / [Sense Sound] / [Sense Psionics] / [Sense Spatial Disturbance] / [Sense Temporal Disturbance] / [Magnetic Attraction] / [Magnetic Repulsion] / [Analyse Compound] / [Repair Construct] / [Imbue Construct]"

The body paused.

"That's my total also being multiplied by a times 2 modifier. Seven more times. As you can appreciate, it makes a lot of difference."

The body bowed slightly. In a mocking way.

"But nevertheless, I believe you were asking about the System error. You see, I was under the impressions that all the Ascended guys had an equal role in maintaining the System. But those guys just provide more support. The real lynchpin are the realms belonging to those first five guys. The one in real time and the others who hadn't even been born yet."

"No." Hazimon moaned. "It can't be true. You can't… how? The name is different! It has to mean something! It wouldn't have been derived from the realm if it didn't mean anything to you!"

"That's what I was trying to tell you earlier." The body chided.

"My school project. A cheap, disposable drone with lots of range and battery life. To survey the wild spots and report back on Rift Spawn in swarms. My very own pride and joy. The Geological Observer Zeta-0."

"Noooooooooo…." He sounded more weepy than anything else. His eyes looking as if he might really start crying.

He rushed the body then. Punching through it with ease. Despite the Projector barriers the body had erected at the last minute. And despite [Solomon's Bottomless Power X] which converted energies into Psy. Absorbing the excess damage before it had a chance to happen.

It just happened anyway.

Not only that, but the strike erupted with an aftershock a fraction of an instant later. Splitting the body into many little pieces that flew about the room.

The head, which was mostly intact, regrew part of the torso and an arm. Draping both as a cloak to cover the Tall Man's newly revealed form. Freed from the possession, he sported four heads instead of the previous three. With the number of pairs of wings having also grown to four. Moreover, those wings had plumage now. Stark white and pure to contrast the oil seeping in from between the feathers.

The body's face kept talking.

"So yeah. I just ordered my realm to excise that particular funnel of power. I think you'll start feeling the full effect of my meddling soon. Also, I wouldn't expect any help from Singing Metals. She'll be quite busy in Pandemonium I'm afraid. Tied up for a while. Right now it is just me and you and… well actually. Why don't I show you?"

The Veiled Prince created an illusory screen on his side, showing me and my host on our side. Watching down at him.

The Drake laughing his head off and me sternly glaring at the fool.

"Noooooooo." He moaned again. Actually managing to weep.

I huffed.

"You think I like this? You think this was my first choice?"

"Ouch." The Seeking Drake pretended to be hurt. "I have feelings too you know?"

He said the lie so casually that I was almost tempted to believe him.

And then another 10 or so billion Psy disappeared into the interconnected portions. The lake that did not end with its many underwater tunnels and false-bottoms that led upwards.

And then the message came. Right on cue.

Alert! Catastrophic System Failure!

Alert! System failure imminent! System interface and restrictions crashing in 35…22…1.

There was a shiver along reality. A little line between the Veil and objective reality.

I turned to the screen.

"Now, I suppose you'll want some means of teleporting out of that hole in the ground but… oh no! What is this!?"

I feigned a stupid look of surprise. Hands on my cheeks to make sure he knew he was being mocked.

"The only way you have of teleporting!"

I paused to do a chuckle.

"Are via System Teleports! And what's this? Why, Hazimon, you seemed to have forgotten to power level your Projector Type! It's at level 1! How are you going to get out of there and over to where we are before we slaughter everyone you've ever loved and cared about with just one level!? Don't you know you need a high-Tier teleportation power to make it out of a Tutorial Instance!?"

The Drake actually threw up what smelled like alcohol, on purpose I suspected, and whirled to laugh at the screen even harder.

"And those Enforcement Instances are doubly re-enforced to keep criminal Projectors from escaping!? Oh …..! he's ….."

The Drake stopped. Dead in his tracks.

Hazimon gaped at him. Stunned.

Buddy chuckled and grew a mouth with which to speak.

"Wow! Those are some really funny words Sully! What do they mean!?"

I flinched. Thinking bitter thoughts.

'Oh my goodness. Look how they've corrupted my sweet and innocent child.'

"It's nothing you need to be concerned about Buddy. It's just… well. With the System being gone, so is that aspect of it."

The Drake turned to me with the biggest, most innocent silent squeal of happiness I had ever seen.

"You mean?"

"Yes." I confirmed. "No more Censorship."

Then I turned to Hazimon. To the crying, stunned, broken wretch now crying on the sand.

"Hey Dragon?" I prompted him.

Hazimon looked at me.

At my one raised finger.

"Go fuck yourself."

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