Chapter Fifty-Eight – Storm – Part Three

Based on the classified research regarding Deity Connections, we've ascertained a few things. One, kneeling before an altar dedicated to the Deity seems to allow for a more fluid connection. Two, classes such as Clerics and Paladins appear to be designated by the system as living altars. The ongoing study of how their classes evolve is among the top priorities for our division. The pace of study has been admittedly slow, considering the entities themselves don't appear to wish to assist us in our venture. The staggering number of deceased subjects makes the current approach… problematic. We are formally suggesting a change in strategy.

- Classified correspondence between the WSA and the UWO -

It's been nearly two hours since we arrived on the small island of jagged rocks. The cave we reside in echoes the torment of the storm that does not move. Fisban finally woke up, but she was different. There's nothing wrong with her physically, yet she can't seem to move her legs. I checked with Triage, and everything is intact. It seems like a mental block of some kind. It's rare, but I've heard of it before, people who think they're paralyzed and they aren't. Some kind of crossed wire in their biological computer.

"Where's Aiden?" Fisban asks Jericho.

Aiden, the guy who had his face torn off by the reef. I push the memories of his family back down into the bottle. Carry the torch.

"He's gone," Jericho says, lowering his head.

"Taylor?"

The one that got trapped under the raft.

"Gone."

Fisban nods, her jaw flexing as she bites back the emotion.

"Do we know where we are?" Fisban asks, looking at me now.

I shake my head. Spending the next few minutes explaining to her what happened.

"Sage still silent?" she begins, then seeing my hesitation, "Look, they all know about Abyss, the rest doesn't matter."

Verantha shifts uncomfortably, her speech is pressured again, "I don't even remember how we got here, I just woke up and here I was… sorry, Goddess."

Fisban rolls her eyes and lets out a sigh, she pulls one of her legs up with her hands and drops it limply, "You're sure there's nothing wrong?"

"Yeah, positive."

"Fuck's sake," she groans, irritation flaring across her face, calm finds it soon after, "You need to scout the island, we have shelter, but within a few days without fresh water, we're dead."

I nod, "Shouldn't we wait until after the storm though?"

She shakes her head, "Chances are some of our mango coconuts might have landed here, also if the storm isn't moving like you said… we need to know why."

"Roger that, Tran, Barlow, on me."

"Take Jericho with you, he's good in a fight."

Gilroy shuffles over to me after a loud groan, "And me, I'm still your Sergeant technically."

"The only rank that matters here is mine," Fisban says, shifting her weight, "I need you to guard me and the Cleric."

"Roger, ma'am," Gilroy sighs.

***

The four of us, Tran, Barlow, Jericho and I have been walking the shoreline for the last hour or so. The island is larger than I originally thought, it has some kind of water mass in the center of it, with a massive stone jutting up from the center that goes high above. It's clearly the epicenter of the storm. Whatever is causing it, it originates at the top I'd wager. I can't see what's up there, the stone widens into a plateau. The base of the stone though, has large carvings of strange symbols that the system doesn't translate. I'm not sure what the point of them is, religious maybe, those don't translate normally.

We managed to find a handful of mango coconuts and a few logs from the raft that had somehow managed to wash up on the shoreline. That'll be useful if we build another raft, though I don't think any of us are looking forward to that prospect.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

"Let's get a closer look at the center stone," I say after we finish the walk of the perimeter.

The water in the center of the island slopes into a pit, about a football field wide in a near-perfect circle. Strangely, the rock looks almost like it fell from the skies. The rolled edge of the sand and ground reminds me of a meteor impact. Interesting.

"What the hell is this?" Tran asks, picking something shiny off the ground.

Stepping closer, the object he's holding is about the size of a small buckler, it's a deep silver with uniform patterns, almost like a scale from something very large. Silver scales, something large… no… no… no…

"What?" Tran asks as I pull it from his hands.

I run my hand across the material, and I recognize the feel of it.

"This is a wyvern or dragon scale."

"Oh shit!" Tran says, pulling it back from me and holding it up against the rays of sun that scatter down from the eye of the storm, "This is worth a fortune then."

"You can make armor out of materials like that right?" Barlow asks.

"Probably, just need to find a Smith supporter class," Jericho says, examining the scale, "This is definitely a dragon's scale, you can tell by the ridge on the third ring."

A silver dragon… I've only seen one, on the fox world. The place that Red sent me for my first Respec quest.

"According to an off-worlder I was detailed to last year, silver dragons are extremely rare," Jericho says while looking around on the sandy ground, "Bound to be more, might be useful."

"How rare?" Tran asks.

"He said silver dragons are legendary, only one is born each millennia. They said it's the same in every world that has them."

"Fuck…"

"What?" Barlow asks, squinting at me.

"I know why Red sent us here."

The three of them look at me now.

"Mira Stormborn…"

A chill sweeps over me as I say her name. The crazy woman that I stole the Legendary bow, Heaven's bane from.

"I'm not familiar with that name," Jericho says, shifting to look around the ground again, "Do they have something to do with the Divine item?"

Well, I guess Fisban hasn't completely briefed him, not sure if I should tell him more without her saying okay, he's her team, not mine… honestly though, he's in the same shitty boat with us.

"Not exactly, I met her before I got this," I say, holding up the black ring.

Jericho's eyes trace the ring, something he's been doing since he saw it save all of us. He hasn't asked about it though.

"What does that ring do exactly, besides summoning vines?"

"Long story, short story is this, we need to get the hell off this island, we don't want to be anywhere near Mira Stormborn."

"I don't know, she sounded hot," Tran says with a shrug.

"Demons that ride dragons are not hot," Barlow says with a head shake.

Jericho looks at us puzzled, "Demons don't ride dragons, they have wings."

"She had horns, and looked like a demon to me."

"That may be, but I've never heard of a dragon allowing a demon to ride them. They're proud creatures."

"Look, none of that matters right now, we need to move, we need to grab Fisban and Verantha and get out of here."

Jericho shakes his head, "Why are you so scared of this Mira person?"

"He may or may not have stolen her Legendary bow," Barlow says.

"Allegedly," Tran adds, then his face lights up and he rushes behind me, "Oh, another one!"

"You stole a Legendary bow?" Jericho asks, changing his stance again.

"Doesn't matter, let's move."

Barlow pulls Tran with us as we make our way back to the cave.

"Fucking Red…" I seethe.

It's bullshit, they've been fucking with me for months now. Why isn't Ulana fighting back? It wasn't so bad when she was in my corner, but now… I don't know. Now I'm just a cosmic punching bag. I'm tired of it. Fucking sick of all the unanswered questions. Why did I get chosen for this shitshow? My life was so much less complicated before that damn gate.

A popup appears in my vision, it's Red.

[ Notice: Exchange Respec token in order to forfeit quest? ]

[ Yes, I realize that I'm a little bitch and I will never succeed / No, I'm a lunatic and think that without my luck blessing I can manage to find a favorable outcome. ]

[ Notice: You have twenty minutes to decide. Also, you will receive no rewards for this forfeited quest. ]

I'm fucking tired.

I'm done with this rollercoaster.

We make it to the edge of the cave, as we crest it and enter, I see Gilroy, Fisban, and Verantha deep in conversation.

"I've already tried healing you three times, there's nothing wrong with you… physically… sorry, Goddess."

Fisban's about to reply, but I interrupt.

"Red gave me a choice," I let out a deep breath, "Give up my Respec token and we can leave."

Fisban shakes her head sternly.

"There isn't much time and they all deserve a vote, it's their lives too."

Fisban doesn't look happy, but I don't care. It's the right thing to do.

"What exactly did Red say?" Gilroy asks.

"We can leave right now, but we lose all quest rewards and I have to give up my other Respec token."

"Hell no," Fisban says, shaking her head.

"I don't think we should do it either," Gilroy says.

"Me either," Tran says, Barlow nods in agreement.

"Mira Stormborn is here, I'm certain of it."

Gilroy blinks, "Demon lady that rides dragons?"

"Demons don't ride dragons," Jericho sighs.

I shoot him a glance, "Whatever, she's bad news, trust me on that."

I can tell the gears are spinning in Fisban's head, weighing the new information.

"I don't know what's going on, but… if we're voting on returning to Earth… yes please… sorry Goddess."

"I'm also for going to Earth," Jericho says, trying to avoid Fisban's death glare, "I have kids and a wife I need to think about."

With me, that's three of seven. I don't want to risk anyone else's life. This mission is fucked anyways.

"Still a no from me," Gilroy says, shaking his head, "You need those Respecs, without them, you're just a regular guy with crazy deities throwing the universe at you for fun."

"No, I'm with Gilroy, sorry Jimmy," Barlow says, not meeting my eyes.

"I want to see the Demon chick, big no from me," Tran says, then looking at Barlow's expression, he adds, "Besides that, Red never gives you a good option, unless it benefits them somehow."

"It doesn't matter, it's not a democracy, I'm saying no," Fisban scowls.

Three to seven. A pop-up appears in my vision.

[ Notice: This will be my only offer. Not taking it will have dire consequences. ]

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