CHPT 382: What I Fear.....

Wednesday Evening, December 31st, 2240.....

Five hours until the Full Moon rises on the Vada District....

Preparations. Claude had become quite adept at preparing himself for the worst. He'd had endless practice as a Lupine and Shape-Shifting Druidic home guardian of a forest surrounded by all manner of monsters. Preparations. Merely a part of life and mind. An impulse as simple as walking-- a drive as casual as breathing. Always stay prepared.

He still had some work to do-- an understatement, but he'd gotten the basics. And this time-- he'd do his best to make sure his pack was squared away. Now with more power-- and more control.

Control and power that weren't just in relation to the breakthrough he'd made as a Lupine.

Extinguishing the Demonic Armaments and their immortal bloodlines had a very .... transformative effect on him. It made him feel more positive about what he could do with the power of a HellSlayer. It also made him curious about Rollan. A Druid-- and now impossible not to assume, accomplished HellSlayer of his own right. A man that looked well into his late middle ages-- still slaying HellBreeder's strong enough to give Claude nightmares. He wondered just how strong Rollan was. Not just as a Druid, but as a HellSlayer.

How many Demonic Armaments had he extinguished on his own? How many HellBreeder Variants had fallen victim to his dull blade and illustrious Wood-Weaving Druidic Arts?

Claude had only extinguished three. Just three, and the comparison to himself from yesterday to now was like night and day. Summer and winter. Wolf and Lamb.....

".... Blade and Hammer." He mumbled as he sat atop a canyon cliff jutting out over a small patch of dry forest. His eyes glowed a hot shade of green, reflecting the natural flames that coated his Malevolence Tether-- which looked very different. It's chain-like design remained the same, only now it was coated by tiny metal barbs and at it's end a thick silver blade resembling his spear tip shined against the evening sun. Then, the barbs were shrinking away and the chain-sword was shifting shape like liquid flaming metal.

All in response to him-- his will. Translated to the chain from the gauntlet that now coated his hand and forearm. The power of the HellSlayer was .... interesting. Something he found himself thinking every time he looked down at the silver and black gauntlet adorned with dark flaming green gems and clawed points at the end of each finger-- as if it were molding to the shape of his transformed state instead of himself.

"[What was that?]" Arne said in response to his sudden words.

"Just thinking." Claude replied absently before his Malevolence Tether burst into flames and disappeared, leaving only his steaming tattooed arm and hand to sit under the falling sun.

"[Indeed. I'm sure a lot of thinking is bound to play a part in your very near future ..... if it hasn't already of course.]"

"Oh no it has. And it still does... I don't even know what half this shit means." Claude said as he opened his System Screen once more.

***

Name: Claude Grey

Class: Beast Tamer, (Lunar) Druidic Warrior's Apprentice

Title: Walker of the Wolf, The HellSlayer, The Second Progenitor of Romulus, Druidic Warrior's Apprentice

Race: Lupine of Romulus

Level: 32 (850/ 3300)

Stat Points: 0

HP: 715

MP: 710

Stamina: 50

Strength: 42

WillPower: 22

Intelligence: 12

Accuracy: 15

Agility/Speed: 50

[HellSlayer Powerset: (The HellSlayer), (Hell Sense LV3), (Animus Nature/Shout LV4), (Malevolence Tether LV4), (HellSlayer's Hound EVO2)

***

Other things had evolved and progressed, but for what it was worth. As a HellSlayer he'd grown the most-- naturally. But hitting Level thirty seemed to be it's own barrier to be broken. A barrier that was in the process of breaking actually, seen in the top right corner of his familiar transparent green System Screen embroidered by vine and all manner of animals. Something that wasn't there a few hours before...

[Skill Merging Process 35%...]

"What?"

"[Oh dear!-- forgive me, Claude. I'd almost forgotten.]" Arne's crisp accented voice pulled his eyes from his seemingly everchanging screen.

"Forgot what? You know what this is?"

Somehow, Claude could imagine Arne's face twisting into an expression of offense ..... as he sipped his tea at a comically small table with his legs crossed and Vampire corpses laid out behind him. It was a developing mental image.

Arne finally spoke, "[Dear boy, when I met my end ... I was-- well, I was Level Eighty.]"

Claude's mouth went dry, "You what?"

"[Bloody hell-- my memory. Level Eighty-Nine actually.]"

Before Claude could question a thing, Arne pressed on, "[That's entirely not the point, Claude. You see, you have entered a new System Stage.]"

Frosty-- who was quietly sitting beside him, twisted his head in confusion as if he were listening to the entire conversation and understood. His tusked fangs cut through the wind like swords eerily close to Claude's face.

"What is a System Stage?"

"[Well-- I'm sure it's an outdated term..... or one not known to the rest of the scholarly world, but it's a simple concept. One derived from the Reborn Vampire Elders, High Alpha Lupines and Experienced Silver Cursed. Back when we were allies .... and alive.]"

"Story time." Claude whispered to Frosty and Gil who laid down against the stony surface of the cliff edge.

"[History Lesson.]" Arne corrected, "[The System is something that's still being explored today-- I can only assume based off the information provided by your classes back at the University of the Phoenix. It's..... in many ways it's everchanging and ever evolving.]"

Claude stayed silent, not realizing Arne wanted him to speak.

"[Don't you understand? How aggravating that must be when you consider the human lifespan? So much to explore-- seemingly endless growth. The System is the most exciting topic to be explored of this world. It's full of centuries of information, recognizes powers and concepts that don't even seem to coincide with it's initial purpose. The System is like... well quite frankly it's an immortal and unfathomable power. A power Romulus was amazed by-- along with the Allied Elders and Alpha's. You must know why, Claude?]"

And that he did. "Increased lifespan."

"[Yes. While the average Lupine and Reborn individuals' lifespan is critically short, they were the outliers..... and they had a considerable amount of time. Let's not forget, Romulus was well into the Silver Rank by the time he was barely a pre-teen.]"

"So, they wanted to explore what the System could do?"

"[They wanted to master it.]" Arne replied, "[It was a collective of supernatural genius really-- they all wanted to know everything it seemed...]" He laughed to himself before continuing, "[They were a loose group, Romulus and his Potentials, a trio Vampiric Elders seemingly as old as time itself-- but more open than most of us, and a pair of Silver Cursed siblings-- WereWolf and WereLion if my memory serves me correct.]"

"That's a stacked team...." Claude commented.

Arne laughed again, "[You have no idea. They never referred to themselves as anything or seemed to have much of a relationship, but we called them The Plethora.]"

Claude pondered at the name. Such a simple word, in context it seemed to transform. Claude could almost imagine it. A collective of genius and experience built over unfathomable years and even harder to believe accomplishments. All joined by the urge to improve the power of their respective races.... and knowledge of a world drowned in age old secrets. The Plethora. It sounded almost fantastical.

"[The name didn't stick when it first spread through the packs-- but after they'd made a few public appearances and we'd been brought to a few Covens and Dens, it stuck. Seeing them all together. For most people, it was overwhelming. So much power and prestige. There was barely a dozen of them-- but by the gods, it felt like we were in the presence of thousands.]"

Claude shivered as the sky darkened. "And you're telling me they came up with the System Stages?"

"[Oh shit-- what a tangent I went off into there. Y-yes of course. Among other things, they developed the idea of System Stages. You see, I'm sure you'd learn something similar at the University as you and you're scholarly counterparts will grow and notice your System change or alter your abilities ever so often. Accurately titled as Stages. These Stages come every thirty or so levels and have a number of benefits.]"

"What was stage one?" Claude asked.

"[Accumulation. From this point to level thirty, this is when a Reborn individual will usually unlock the most acquired skills-- abilities and alterations to their Element and Aura and even System. This is also when they are most likely to be pursued by a God.]"

It all seemed to fit. All of Claude's Acquired Skills, Druidry, HellSlaying Power, Growth Element.....and Fenrir.

"Ok. And the next stage?"

"[Amalgamation. The System is simply convenience in it's most pure form sometimes. See, around the time most hit level thirty, they are told of a Skill Merging event in process-- just as you've seen in your own System. Once that fully loads, you'll find some of your abilities begin to combine and infuse themselves into others.]"

"Skill combination...interesting. But why?"

"[We can only assume to make you stronger for the Monsters that seem to grow exponentially after the Silver Rank. Skill Merging is the perfect phenomenon for an efficient conqueror of the Tangents. It makes you more powerful-- and productive in less time. It's Mana efficient. Instead of using two Skills to slay an Elven Lord, you use one and have enough Mana left over to defend yourself against his unseen Vengeance Seekers.]"

Claude's spine warmed, "Hey-- what the fuck is a Vengeance Seeker?"

"[Oversized Cat-Beasts with bladed tentacles and shadow-stepping abilities....not very common-- I was being hyperbolic.]" Arne replied casually.

"Man wha--"

"[That is hardly the point. What I'm saying is, Skill Merging is a gift that will continue to give-- hopefully for the rest of your life. You'll need it..... more than most im afraid.]"

Arne's words brought him back to reality with a flash. No longer a kid-- a dork, simply marveling over the fantastical stories spoken from someone who'd seen the world in way's he couldn't comprehend. Once again, he was an endangered species, both on the hunt and on the run.

Extremes were a pain. So were Full Moons.

Speaking of which.

As he looked up at the sky, bathed in planetary paint-strokes of star-sprinkled blue's, purples and oranges, he found himself feeling anxious once again. The Full Moon's bright white glow hovered above the edge of his world in the distance-- seemingly a thousand miles away and also close enough for him to feel it's rays.... like the hot breath of a beast ready to take it's kill. It loomed like a stalker hidden behind a fence. Gazing endlessly. Pulling him in.

He no longer liked the idea of sitting. In fact, he hated it.

His feet found their way beneath him and on the floor quickly. As he stood, the others followed, trotting around him as he pulled his newly purchased dual Short-Spears out of the ground. Named Bane and Boon. Oddly enough, the Short-Spear with the serrated edge and poison empowerment Rune was the one named Boon-- as if dying in a bloodied paralyzed state was a gift.

"Whoever made these has a sick sense of humor." Claude thought before sheathing the spears at his hip and adjusting the sword at his back. It sat oddly over his new armor. No more black leather everywhere. He simply wore a black shirt with leather padding sewn in and a pauldron that sat over his left shoulder with a built in neck guard. Something the shop owner recommended when he noticed Claude used spears.

He'd never seen one before, but it made sense despite only guarding one shoulder. It gave him more mobility and focused his defenses in one area. It also meant his left side was guarded when he decided to attack with his right. And even better, it was segmented armor and attached by leather rope and clasps. He could wear it in his transformed state.

"If only they made full sets of armor like this...." He thought as Blackbeak landed on his shoulder.

With nothing left to do, he picked up his sack of supplies, pulled on his cloak that now sat at a slant on him and took off on fully transformed legs as fresh as the day was old.

The moon seemed to speed up it's ascent as he bulleted back to the forest as if it found joy in his primal panic.

***

Claude returned to the forest with hours of light remaining. Still in safe territory, but it could always be safer-- especially since he could feel Ursula's panic in the depths of his mind as he hustled through the woodland.

A small trickling ravine of adrenaline seeped into his veins in response.

He burst from the woodland and found Rollan sitting beside one of his familiar Effigies. The beautiful statue burned and smelled of scorched flesh and bone. Within the red flames, he could see the charred remains of Goblins and Meduseans-- the snakes adorning their reptilian heads twisted into expressions of poisonous wrath even in death.

"Not to worry Monsieur. They were not a problem-- Oui, your wolves made quick work of them." Rollan said without looking away from the fire.

"Where is she?" Claude replied.

Rollan pointed towards the forest to the left, "She seems to uhhh ..... she seems to be getting cold feet in the wake of this wintery moon, no? All is as it should be in here, she is new, yes?..... But out there.... "

Claude barely noticed Rollan muttering to himself in a discomforted state as he referred to the land beyond as he brushed past him to find Ursula.

It didn't take long to find her. Not long at all. As soon as he entered the woodland, the air grew cold. Cold enough that he could see his breath. In fact, the tree's were framed by snow, and the ground was hard.

He only had to walk a few minutes before he noticed the glacial shards ripping through the forest and rising from the earth like teeth. He sifted through it all until he found himself standing at the entrance of what looked like a blast zone. circling jagged barriers of ice spread across the damaged lands like stilled shockwaves, cutting through tree and bush effortlessly.

The Phantom Wolves sat on the jagged pillars of ice calmly as they regarded him. Ursula sat at the epicenter, hugging her knee's to herself in silence.

All he saw was her back, covered in a thin sheen of auburn fur that matched the tone of her darkening skin. The muscles beneath were tense, practically ripping through.

He closed his eyes and focused-- working peace into his mind that she could feed on.

He was no expert, but he could feel it beginning to work.

"..... You alright?" He asked awkwardly into the silence.

Ursula's muscled back moved as she laughed to herself. "Such a talented speaker-- such a grand entrance."

"You know it." Claude mumbled in defeat as he jumped down from the jagged spikes to meet Ursula.

As soon as he hit the ground behind her, she jumped as if she hadn't heard him coming in a panic, "Don't!-- Stay back!" She stammered with raised hands.

Hands tipped by black claws that curved like meathooks. And her words came from a mouth with thickened jaws and fanged teeth.

Her teary eyes regarded him with a pale blue glow as more fur sprouted from her hulking shoulders. Somehow, none of this was the most surprising detail. What shook him more than anything was the fact that he was looking up at her.

She wasn't fully transformed-- or even partially transformed for that matter. But she was over seven feet tall....

"What's happening-- the Moon isn't up yet?..... Is something wrong with me?"

Arne laughed in Claude's mind, "[Bloody hell-- I remember when it happened to you like it was yesterday.]"

Lunar Shift Fluidity in short-- he'd almost forgotten. Pre-Shift Breakthrough Fluidity was the proper term— and also only happened to Lupines on the verge of willfully unlocking their transformative abilities. Something similar must've been happening to her since it was her first full moon. That or she was an even better potential than Claude….

"You're fine." Claude said, "I'll explain it to you while you suit up." He threw her the sack he'd been carrying on his back, "After you get everything on, we're leaving."

"Where are we going?" Ursula asked.

"The Tangents."