Chapter Sixty-Five – Glitch – Part One

Soldiers are as useful as you let them be.

- UWO Command Sergeant Major Urik -

Light sprinkles down from the ceiling, Fisban's faction has subsequently divided us into rooms, I expected as much. Mira's dragon, Sylfie, became no larger than a small dog, honestly, she and Niva could be playmates now, and it might do well to have Niva learn the way of dragons. The reduction in size makes me wonder if dragons were throttled by the system because of their natural abilities and seemingly passable intelligence. They appear to be roughly as smart or smarter than a regular person, yet their size makes them a portable biological wrecking ball. If my theory is correct, then the dragon has also been reset to level one. How it came with her, that's another matter, one that I would like to explore with Sage. Could be useful. Considering if I understood the mechanism, I could bring back more legendary creatures. One can never have enough tools in their toolbox.

The room they have me in is plain, there are seven things I could use to kill without summoning Abyss if required. A rickety table leg with a loose bolt, the chair I'm sitting on and the lone one across from me, also, each of my appendages. I don't think it will come to that though, there is no sensory torture in the room, unlike last time. Still, I'm sure they're gauging me and the others.

Abyss seems interested in something behind the one-way mirror. Using a flash of Triage to conserve mana, I see eight people behind the glass. Based on the posture and sloped back on some of them, I believe about half of them are scientists or researchers who spend too much time in front of screens. A back brace and some regular stretches would do them well. Two have irregularly perfect posture, military, and then there's one that seems relaxed, swiping through her system interface if I had to guess. Either that or she has Tourette's. Unlikely, her mouth is closed and the motor movements seem fluid and intentional. The others seem to look to her for approval. Interesting, focusing Triage further, I peer at her organs, then her skeleton. Specifically notating that her hips appear to have borne a child before. Based on the rest of her body, she's approximately in her fifties. Her face has similar features to someone I am intimately familiar with. My guess of her identity is that she's Cortez's mother, which would explain why they show her deference, she's likely in charge of the operation. A few more flashes of Triage show me the basic layout of the facility. Winding halls, I can only roughly gauge them based on the traversal of bodies, and what they seem to avoid.

Perhaps if I can find a way to evolve Triage… interesting idea.

For all intents and purposes, I've decided to pretend that I'm still standard issue Jimmy with the intelligence debuff. People are always less wary of things they think are easy to control. My expression is a calculated one, looking around mildly frantic, pretending to be scared. In truth, I'm far from it. Currently, I'm reading through my menu, without using my hands. The fluidness of my thoughts… it's intoxicating. Though I know that I am at the base of the summit which I can climb. Sage did not say, but I think that Wisdom also has some effect on memory retention, perhaps on recall as well. With more, I might be able to hold simultaneous threads instead of rapidly shifting my focus.

I'm running out of things to do, how long do they intend to stare at me through the glass? I reread the new skill that I acquired for the Witherbrand class. There's an interesting implication from it.

[ Skill: Wither Charge Reclamation ]

[ Usage: Allows the user to convert non-expended Brands of Withering back into Wither Charges. ]

[ Effect: Exchange. ]

[ Activation: Spoken. ]

[ Incantation: That which has been… shall be again. ]

[ Cost: Chance to release Charge without converting. ]

It's interesting, even with the unknown charge expending. A simple test really, convert a large number, however many come back, that's the likely percentage. No cooldown is also interesting. Another spoken incantation. I still need to test the Wither Guardian skill. However, I believe it allows me to call upon things that I have turned to Wither Charges previously. If it does, is it limited to what I'm currently holding, or what I've absorbed in the past? Lots of potential with all of these skills.

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Something else that's interesting to me is when I click on healing skill in my legacy skills, I see the synergy percentage has changed to ninety-nine. Undoubtedly if I were to have it, I could use it more efficiently. I also understand and can hold the workings of the body more accurately in my thoughts. That should account for the synergy spike. What happens if it breaches one hundred percent?

There's something else that's been scratching at the back of my mind. Some worlds were familiar with magic before the system came. Does that mean…

The door opening draws my attention, it's a man, dressed in a UWO military uniform. His name and rank are clear to see on his uniform, Colonel Greymore. There's a limp in his cantered step, one that he hides well. He's old school and probably could have had the limp corrected by a healer, perhaps he keeps it to remember the injury. The grey in his hair and the bags under his eyes tell me he's seen a lot. When he sits down, I see a metallic band on his wrist beneath the cuff, I recognize it. Soldiers wear them to remember those who have fallen. So, the limp could be sentimental, an atonement maybe?

"Specialist Novak, I'm here to receive your debriefing, I've been cleared to hear any sensitive materials you might want to withhold."

Would a stutter be appropriate? Perhaps.

"S-sir… I… my… my friends, are they okay?"

His eyes narrow at me like he's disappointed in the stuttering. Good, now he underestimates me.

"Relax, Specialist. Everyone on your team is fine."

I nod, blinking quickly, I already knew that though, they've been sending me messages. In fact, I'm the last one to be interviewed. They likely want to gauge my capacity for lying. A capacity that notably has improved.

"Where should I be-begin Sir?"

He fights back an annoyed expression, I'll tone down the stutter.

"From the beginning, when you first received the skill, Respec on Death."

I give a measured gulp, it's almost laughable how he's eating this up. Old-time soldier irritated by a weak-willed junior. Classic dynamic. It will account for the gaps in my story, the ones where I don't explain that Abyss has become more useful. Also, I haven't forgotten that Ulana broke the rules of time manipulation. Likely the reason I'm missing all of my initial Respec Tokens, which tells me that they can be exchanged in ways that even Sage might not know.

"I don't know how I got it… I just kind of stumbled on it, one second I was on a gathering quest, and then it ended abruptly… I think a glitch maybe?" I look off in the distance like I'm trying to rack my brain to explain it.

"Why didn't you tell anyone about it?"

"I… I was afraid. I didn't know what it meant, I didn't get a tutorial."

His eyebrow raises at this, telling me that he's familiar with the skill, but not Fisban's testimony. She would have relayed that information, meaning these interviews might be compartmentalized. Interesting. I can't imagine that he knows more than Fisban though, he's a Colonel, an O-6. They don't have the same kind of pull as a General, O-7 and up. Looking at his shoulder, I can see he's completed almost every type of special training course. Pairing that with him getting briefed at his rank… is he a special forces commander?

***

"The individual you returned with, she hasn't woken up yet, we're wondering if you can elaborate on her affiliations and explain how she was able to come back with you."

"Is she okay?" I ask. It's a hollow question, I already know that she is, I examined her with Triage earlier. Likely it's a type of reverse rebound sickness from losing so many stat points so quickly. I'd wager she was at a higher level than anyone on Earth.

"Stay on task, Specialist, do you know her affiliations, or how she managed to come back with you?"

"I… I honestly don't know more than what I told you."

***

Hours of interrogation have dragged by, they're asking all the wrong questions though. Digging where there is only dirt. It's becoming tiresome. During the conversation, I've been perusing my menu mentally. Looking at the Scion of Chaos skill that I received for hitting level twenty-five.

[ Skill: Chaos Brand ]

[ Usage: Allows the user to convert one Chaos Charge into a brand. ]

[ Effect: Upon activation, inflicts a random effect, for a random duration. ]

[ Activation: Proximity. ]

[ Cost: Three Chaos Charges. ]

Proximity, interesting wording. Three charges, random effect. Worth testing, sounds like fun.

A voice interrupts the Colonel's next question. A female one, older, pressured emotion from it, a sense of urgency maybe? Triage flickers, it's the woman, I can see her standing next to what's likely the intercom system, a single finger pressing against the air.

"Colonel, that's enough for now."

He blinks, but years of following commands make him a good soldier, he stands, giving me one last disappointed look. I don't blame him, if he's supposed to be my new commander, I didn't ace his interview. That's fine though. Keep them placated.

The door closes slowly, her emotional undertone, it was subtle, but it has me curious, what makes Cortez's mother tic? I activate Triage in pulses so that time almost feels normal. I watch their lips as they move, trying to glean what was so important that she pulled him out early. Her heart rate is more elevated than before.

I missed the first part, but he says that I'm not ready… ready for what? Something about mobilizing his troops for a strike force. Something about… a gate on the Flight line. The illogical waves of worry ripen in my chest as I realize why she's worried.

The routine Green Gate that Cortez and the others went into, it's just changed to a Yellow Gate. Is this an attempt at four-dimensional chess to get me to drop the act? No. They wouldn't know that the Gate changed colors, Ulana brought me back to before it happened. This must be real.

Standard Green Gate turning yellow, on the flight line no less. What are the chances…

Azeroc, that Red bastard. Is he repeating what he did months ago? The more I read from their lips, the more certain I become… he's coming for his revenge.

My legs slowly rise with my determination as I stand from the rickety table. Eyes leveling with the one-way glass.

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