A Piece in the Game of Gods part 45

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I was alive. I was happy. These things might seem small or obvious, but I wasn’t going to take either of them for granted. As someone who has died…twice…I appreciated what it meant to be alive, and what it meant to truly live.

It had been several months since my first death, since I lost my body, my life, and my very identity. And though I’d been given new ones, they’d belonged to someone else, and it had taken me time to make them my own. The truth was, I was still in the process of doing that and suspected that I would be for a long time to come.

Today was Halloween, over two and a half months since that final battle with Kr’aethar and Arakthiel. Since then, there had been no more competitions, no more mad gods, and no more fights to the death. Life had gone back to normal, or at least, as normal as it could be for someone in my situation. I was still trying to figure out what ‘normal’ was for me now.

College had started up again, and going back to school helped me to feel a little more normal. Unfortunately, all of the credits I’d earned last year had vanished along with my old body and identity, so I had to start my freshman year all over again. That was extremely frustrating, especially since I even had to take most of the same classes. The only good thing about that though, was that this time around, the classes were a LOT easier.

The attribute points that I’d slotted into intelligence were really noticeable now that I’d gone back to school. I could read a lot faster than I used to, understand the material easier, and remember it all without even trying. I was now getting straight A’s in all my classes, and had even helped Matt a time or two, in spite of the fact that he was taking sophomore classes. It was a strange reversal in our relationship, and one that neither of us wanted to talk about.

“But he’s still the nerd,” I mused aloud. “Not me.”

I might be damn near a genius now, but I was still more jock than nerd, or at least, that was how I preferred to think of myself. The truth was, Teri was a lot more involved in sports than I was now, though I did still go to the gym nearly every day.

As I thought about my intelligence and how those extra points were making classes easier, I also found myself thinking about my other points. Ever since the contests had ended, there had been no more points given out as rewards, and no new abilities had been unlocked. All the champions had ceased their character progression, at least, we’d all stopped doing so the easy way.

I’d found that I was still able to get more attribute points, but I had to earn them the hard way. After all my time in the gym, I’d earned extra points in strength, stamina, and endurance, and my studying for classes had unlocked another one in intelligence. Of course, I’d also unlocked extra points in dexterity and awareness too, though I wasn’t quite sure how I’d done that.

Every point I earned made a difference, and I could see the effects on my body. My body hadn’t suddenly changed the way it did whenever I slotted a point, but I did show the results from countless hours in the gym. I looked fit, strong, and sexy. And to my amusement, I was probably stronger than I actually looked. I didn’t know if it was my agility, my charisma, or just the genetics I’d inherited from Heather, but while I was getting stronger, I wasn’t really bulking up the way Teri had.

“And she’s still ahead of me,” I grumbled, wondering if I’d ever catch up to her. After all, I wasn’t the only one who’d earned extra points by spending time in the gym.

All these thoughts passed through my mind as I looked myself over in the mirror. I looked hot. Damn hot. There was still a faint voice in the back of my head, little more than a whisper, that said I should feel embarrassed or ashamed by this fact. I didn’t listen that voice much anymore.

At the moment, I was wearing a particularly sexy outfit that included a pair of black, thigh-length, stiletto heeled boots. The rest of my outfit followed a similar theme since I was also wearing a black top with a built-in corset, and whish showed off a good amount of my cleavage. I had on a pair of black gloves, which went up past my elbows. There was a black studded collar around my throat, a couple black studded bracelets around my wrists, over the gloves, and I had a couple of loose black studded belts around my waist.

My makeup was currently done up to match my outfit, with dark eyes shadow and lipstick that was somewhere between crimson and black. In addition, my hair was pulled back and done up in a single long braid. I looked hot…though a bit scary.

“Halloween costumes,” I said wryly, looking myself over again. “This is definitely not my thing.”

Cassandra and I had decided to pick out each other’s costumes, which had seemed like a fun idea at the time. But then, we’d revealed our choices to each other. Cassandra had picked out a goth costume for me, though I actually looked more like a dominatrix than a goth. I suspected that this was intentional. Either way, Cassandra seemed more than a little pleased with the way I looked.

Just then, while I was staring at my reflection, I saw my eyes suddenly change. One moment they were their normal green color, and the next instant, my irises were glowing iridescent instead. I blinked and my eyes were back to normal.

“Great,” I said with a sigh. I would have rubbed my eyes, but I didn’t want to smear the makeup that Cassandra had worked so hard to get right.

This wasn’t the first time my eyes had flickered like that, and I was pretty sure that it wouldn’t be the last. A few odd things had been happening to me, or at least, odder than normal, and I was pretty sure that they were all related to that divine spark I’d been given.

I pulled up my status screen and quickly glanced over it. The last time I’d noticed my eyes change like that, my weapon had changed from being listed as ‘Maelyne’s spear’ to being ‘Jaeri’s spear’. This time, nothing had changed there, though I noticed that I’d gained a few more resource attribute points in each of my pools. That wasn’t really new though, since over the last couple months, I’d seen those pools go up on their own several times, without a single popup to notify me of it happening, or to explain why.

Before I could give this anymore thought, Cassandra called out, “Hey, are you done in there?”

“Just admiring your handiwork,” I told her with a smile.

I came out of the bathroom and saw Cassandra standing there, dressed in the costume I’d picked out for her. She was dressed as Zelda, from the game series of the same name. It was amusing to see Cassandra with blonde hair, even if it was only a wig. Of course, this wasn’t the first time I’d seen her with a wig on, but it still fun to see how different she could make herself look.

“I did a great job,” Cassandra stated with a smirk. “You look fucking awesome. But there’s something missing…”

“A little color?” I asked.

“Nope,” she responded with an evil grin that didn’t belong on Zelda. Then she handed me a coiled leather whip.

I stared at the whip for a moment before musing, “Why am I not surprised…”

“It’s the perfect accessory for that outfit,” Cassandra told me.

“Someone was being a bit tricksy,” I said, unrolling the whip and giving it an experimental snap in the air. “I think someone needs to be punished…”

Cassandra just grinned. “Oh no, not that. Whatever shall I do?”

A minute later, Cassandra and I went downstairs where Matt and Lauren were already dressed up and ready for the costume party. Matt was dressed up with a blonde wig and an orange jumpsuit. He’d forced me to watch the anime Naruto a couple times, so I recognized the character he was dressed as.

“Figures you’d want to go as a ninja,” I said.

“Yeah,” Matt agreed with a grin. “But I wasn’t about to go the generic route.”

Then he looked me over and smirked. He was about to say something, only to get an elbow in the ribs from Lauren, who was currently dressed as Nurse Joy. I saw Matt’s influence in the pick

“You look…nice,” Lauren said, though she was struggling to hold back a laugh. She’d obviously been in on this with Cassandra, and immediately proved that by pulling she’d been holding behind her back and snapping a picture.

Everyone was here and ready for the costume party, except for Teri. This was going to be a college party, and while Teri was a friend and companion, who’d helped to save my life on multiple occasions, she was still a high school student and wasn’t allowed to attend.

Teri had grumbled and complained about this a little, though it was more out of obligation than for any other reason. After all, her school was having a costume party as well, and I knew that she wanted to attend that with her friends, including her new boyfriend.

“You know,” Matt told me, carefully stepping out of Lauren’s reach, “you’re really going to get a lot of attention like that.”

“I know,” I responded with a sigh, before giving Cassandra a flat look. She just smirked and looked pleased with herself. “Trust me, I know.”

“A LOT of attention,” Lauren added, earning a glare from me, which only caused her to snicker.

“When we get back,” I announced, fixing Cassandra with my gaze, “someone is getting punished for this.”

Of course, I knew quite well that this was what Cassandra was hoping for, and the look of anticipation simply confirmed that. This was just another of Cassandra’s dress-up games, and I had no doubt that I was going to have fun playing along a little later. But for now, I had to deal with the party.

I was a bit self-conscious about going out in public like this, even if I did look really damn hot. However, I wasn’t going to let that stop me. In fact, that nervousness only motivated me to give it my best. When in doubt, charge forward. That had worked well with my new life so far, and I saw no reason to change things now.

“Come on,” I announced, standing up a little straighter, throwing my shoulders back and my chest out, and pushing my charisma as much as I could. With that, I walked to the front door, putting a little extra strut into my walk. “It’s time to go kick some butt.”

--------------------

The large room was carved of marble, with veins of glowing crystal running through nearly every surface. Floor, ceiling, and walls all gently sloped and blended into each other, creating a rounded space with no hard angles or corners.

In the very center of the floor was a pool filled with liquid silver. It was calm and still, looking more like a mirror than the liquid it was. Directly above the pool, floating near the ceiling, was a glowing sphere that strongly resembled a moon. This sphere, part light source, part décor, and part…other, lit the room with its silvery glow.

A goddess stood beside pool and stared down at the reflected moon, as well as the other images that flickered across the surface like ripples. Most of these images were of her champion, who was in the middle of a romantic evening with her lover. Armestia smiled at the sight, but after a minute, she gestured at the pool and the images vanished. At times like this, it was best to give her champion some privacy.

Just as Armestia turned away from the pool, she felt a presence at the edge of her awareness. It was one that she’d been expecting, so she patiently waited as the presence grew closer and closer until it finally reached her door.

The newcomer stood in the doorway where he waited for Armestia to acknowledge him. He was fifteen feet tall, about average for a male of their kind, with hair and a beard that glowed with an iridescent light. His body was encased from the neck down in perfectly fitted armor, which was a physical manifestation of his own power.

Armestia looked the god over for a moment, then in a formal tone, greeted him. “Welcome Gorath, god of dedication and fortitude.”

Gorath stepped inside. “Greetings Armestia, goddess of secrets, romance, and the moon.”

“I am pleased that you accepted my invitation,” Armestia told him with a smile.

Gorath nodded. “How could I not? But you know I cannot remain long. I need to see how the repairs are going in my territory and ensure that my people are doing well…”

With a faint laugh, Armestia told him, “If I’d ever doubted that you were Maelyne’s brother, that statement alone would have confirmed it.”

This was followed by a moment of respectful silence as their thoughts simultaneously turned towards their shared grief.

“I wanted to kill Arakthiel myself,” Garoth admitted with a scowl. “That is why I joined the assault on the anarchists.”

“I am sorry for taking that opportunity from you,” Armestia responded. “But not for killing him.”

Garoth nodded at that and gave a dismissive wave. “Vengeance is not my domain, and I will not dwell on it. However, I am pleased to have captured Kr’aethar, and to have left him in such condition that he will cause no more problems for centuries, at the very least.”

“Assuming he is ever released from his prison,” Armestia agreed. “And Pfath has finally been eliminated as well. The anarchists are no longer any threat to the peace. Their leadership has been decimated while the rest have been captured, killed, or scattered.”

“True,” Gorath said with a scowl. “But some do remain free and will undoubtedly cause problems in the future…”

“Indeed,” Armestia agreed. “And it is about the future that I asked to speak with you.”

Gorath chuckled faintly at that. “I see you’ve heard that I’ve been asked to serve as an Arbiter.”

“Yes, I have,” the goddess told him with a smile. “And congratulations. I am confident that you will be a fair and impartial one. However, that is not why I wished to speak with you.” When Gorath gave her a curious look, she continued, “I wished to speak to you of Maelyne’s territory and people.”

“I have no ambitions or desire for my sister’s territory,” Gorath stated with a grimace. “If necessary, I will look after her people and territory, and will honor the alliances she made…as much as I can while honoring my duties as an Arbiter. However, I have work enough in restoring my own that I would prefer not to assume these responsibilities in addition.”

“Maelyne left an heir,” Armestia stated, earning a brief look of surprise from Gorath.

Gorath stared at her with a faint scowl before responding. “I heard that my sister passed a shard of her essence to her champion, but that is merely placing a seed in salted ground. The seed may hold potential, but will never grow beyond that, and will be lost upon the host’s death.”

“Normally, that may be true,” Armestia admitted. “But in this situation, Maelyne planted her seed in fertile ground, and it has already taken root.”

“What?” Gorath demanded, giving Armestia a look of surprise and skepticism. “Surely you’re mistaken.”

“There is no mistake,” Aremestia assured him. “Maelyne knew quite well what she was doing when she chose her daughter and heir. The girl shares Maelyne’s values and is naturally inclined towards her domains. Jaeri bears a surprising compatibility with Maelyne’s essence, and is already on the cusp of reaching her second level of power.”

“That is…surprising,” Gorath said with a thoughtful expression. “This is rare, but not unheard of.”

“No,” Armestia responded with a knowing smile. “It isn’t unheard of.”

“My own grandfather had once been a mortal champion,” Gorath admitted. This kind of thing was often considered an embarrassment among their kind, and few were willing to admit such a thing. “One of the very first.”

Armestia gave a nod of acknowledgement, and continued, “Maelyne’s shard has already bonded to Jaeri’s very being, making her Maelyne’s daughter in truth as well as title. As I told you, she is on the cusp of reaching her second level of power, and she will only continue to grow stronger after this. In time, she may pass the threshold…”

“In just a century,” Gorath continued as he understood what Armestia meant, “we may have a new goddess of protection and loyalty. If so, she would be able to assume Maelyne’s territory…”

“And her place in the game,” Armestia finished with a nod.

Armestia gestured to the pool and new images began to play across the surface. Images of Jaeri entering their world and rescuing Maelyne, then standing beside her at the end. Images of the young demi-goddess as she faced three gods in mortal flesh, and as she forced them from those bodies, leaving them weak and injured enough that they were easily defeated in their real forms.

“Courage and loyalty. And she played an important role in ending our war,” Gorath admitted after watching the images. “I believe my sister may have chosen wisely.”

“Jaeri will need a mentor,” Armestia explained with a smile. “Someone who can help her understand her new powers and what she is becoming. Someone who can guide her into becoming a worthy successor for Maelyne.”

Gorath stared at Armestia. “This is why you called me here. You wish me to be this mentor.”

“Yes,” Armestia agreed.

“You speak as if you know her well,” Gorath pointed out.

“She is my champion’s lover,” Armestia admitted, “And I have met her in person.”

The god gave her a curious look. “Then would it not make more sense for you to take this role?”

“Who better to mentor her than her own uncle?” Armestia asked him with a faint smile. “This will give you two a chance to know each other better, and to bond. I suspect that the two of you will get along quite well. Besides, I may soon be too busy mentoring my own heir…”

Gorath gave her a look of surprise. “I was unaware that you had an heir.”

Armestia merely gave him an enigmatic smile but didn’t explain, though this was common for her. As the goddess of secrets, she made a habit of always keeping some information for herself.

“Then I will do it,” Gorath said with a thoughtful look. “Once she reaches the second stage, I will make contact.”

“Jaeri will be lucky to have your guidance,” Armestia told him.

“She will need it,” Gorath said with a scowl. “Many of the anarchists are still free, and it is only a matter of time before some of them create their own champions, and either send them to interfere in the competitions or to get revenge for the defeat of their leaders.”

“You make a good point,” Aremestia admitted. “Jaeri may yet face danger from anarchist champions, and possibly even the anarchists themselves.”

Gorath’s scowl turned into a faint smile. “But this may be to our advantage. If my new niece is anything like my sister, she will not hesitate to throw herself into battle in the name of protecting others, and facing such opponents will only help her grow in strength more quickly.”

“You will need to prepare her for these challenges,” Armestia told him. “And hopefully, the child will be willing to listen and learn.”

They spoke for a little longer before Gorath left. Once he was gone, Armestia turned her attention back to her pool. Images of her champion once again began to flicker across the surface, making Armestia smile in pride.

“I will need to prepare you too, my champion,” Armestia mused. “For any battle that finds Jaeri, is likely to draw you in as well.”

Armestia’s attention focused on one image, which showed Cassandra and Jaeri kissing. Her smile deepened at the sight. Their romance warmed her heart, and she wanted to see it last for a very long time to come.

“Now my champion,” Armestia said aloud, “Let us see if your ground is as fertile as I believe…”

And with that, Aremestia turned from the pool and prepared for the task ahead of her. She had a very important seed to plant.

THE END

NAME: JAERI
GENDER: FEMALE
AGE: 18
TITLE: DEMI-GODDESS OF LOYALTY AND PROTECTION
HEALTH: 100%
MANA: 100%
STATUS: NO INJURIES, ILLNESSES, OR NEGATIVE STATUS EFFECTS.

DIVINITY: 1
-
STRENGTH: 11
STAMINA: 13
ENDURANCE: 13
-
AGILITY: 13
REFLEXES: 11
DEXTERITY: 12
-
INTELLIGENCE: 15
CHARISMA: 15
AWARENESS: 13
-
MANA POOL: 782
MANA RECOVERY: 737
HEALTH: 790
REGENERATION: 536
DIVINE POWER: 187

EQUIPMENT:
ARMOR: LIGHT ARMOR
-ARMOR RATING 200
-30% PROTECTION FROM ALL MAGICAL DAMAGE
-PREVENTS THE WEARER FROM BEING PHOTOGRAPHED OR RECORDED BY NON-MAGICAL MEANS

WEAPONS: JAERIE’S SPEAR
-THIS WEAPON COUNTS AS BOTH A SPEAR AND A STAFF
-REDUCES MANA COST OF MAGICAL ABILITIES BY 15%
-INCREASES EFFECTIVENESS OF SHIELD ABILITIES BY 30%
-20% OF ALL DAMAGE ABSORBED BY YOUR SHIELDS IS ADDED TO YOUR NEXT ATTACK

STORAGE CHEST:
-BOOKS
-KNIVES
-PAINTBALLS
-CLOTHING
-CELL PHONE

---------------

SKILLS:

STAFF FIGHTING- RANK 5
-YOU KNOW HOW TO FIGHT USING A STAFF. HIGHER LEVELS OF STRENGTH AND DEXTERITY INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS SKILL.

FLIRTING- RANK 5
-YOU KNOW THE ART OF FLIRTING WITH OTHERS, ENCOURAGING POSITIVE REACTIONS, AND LOYALTY. THIS WORKS BEST WITH THOSE OF THE OPPOSITE GENDER. HIGHER LEVELS OF CHARISMA INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS SKILL.

SPEAR FIGHTING- RANK 4
-YOU KNOW HOW TO FIGHT USING A SPEAR. HIGHER LEVELS OF STRENGTH AND DEXTERITY INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS SKILL.

LOCKPICKING- RANK 2
-YOU KNOW HOW TO PICK LOCKS. HIGHER LEVELS OF DEXTERITY AND AWARENESS INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS SKILL.

ORAEVIAN- RANK 2
-YOU UNDERSTAND ORAEVIAN, THE LANGUAGE OF THE GODS. HIGHER LEVELS OF INTELLIGENCE AND AWARENESS INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS SKILL

---------------

ABILITIES:

SHIELD WALL- RANK 6
-CREATE A MAGICAL BARRIER TO PROTECT YOU FROM DAMAGE.

MAELYNE’S SHIELD- RANK 4
-CREATE A MAGICAL BARRIER TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND THOSE CLOSE TO YOU FROM DAMAGE.

LESSER HEALING- RANK 5
-HEAL MINOR DAMAGE.

COMPANION 1-
-PERMANENTLY BIND A COMPANION TO YOUR SERVICE. THIS COMPANION GAINS +5 STRENGTH, +5 STAMINA, AND +5 ENDURANCE.

COMPANION 2-
-PERMANENTLY BIND A COMPANION TO YOUR SERVICE. THIS COMPANION GAINS +4 AGILITY, +4 REFLEXES, +4 DEXTERITY, AND STEALTH.

COMPANION 3-
-PERMANENTLY BIND A COMPANION TO YOUR SERVICE. THIS COMPANION GAINS +2 INTELLIGENCE, +2 CHARISMA, +2 AWARENESS, LESSER HEALING, AND FORCE BLAST.

PROTECT COMPANION- RANK 5
-CREATE A MAGICAL SHIELD TO PROTECT A COMPANION.

SUMMON COMPANION- RANK 3
-YOU MAY TRANSPORT A COMPANION TO YOUR SIDE. RANGE 100 METERS. INCREASES IN RANK WILL INCREASE THE RANGE OF THIS ABILITY.

---------------

GIFTS:

LOYALTY- YOU GAIN POWER FROM YOUR COMPANION’S LOYALTY. AS THEIR LOYALTY INCREASES, SO DOES THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOUR ABILITIES.

MAELYNE’S BLESSING- RANK 2. 20% PROTECTION FROM ALL DAMAGE. ALL DAMAGE PREVENTED THIS WAY IS ADDED TO YOUR NEXT ATTACK. WHILE PROTECTING OTHERS, SHIELD STRENGTH AND SHIELD DURATION ARE INCREASED BY 50%

MAELYNE’S GREATER BLESSING- YOU POSSESS A DIVINE SPARK, A SLIVER OF MAELYNE’S ESSENCE. DIVINITY AND DIVINE POWER HAVE BEEN UNLOCKED.

COMPANION 1

NAME: TERI LOUISE CORSKEY
GENDER: FEMALE
AGE: 15
HEALTH: 100%
MANA: NA
STATUS: NO INJURIES, ILLNESSES, OR NEGATIVE STATUS EFFECTS.
SPECIAL ABILITY: INCREASED HEALTH AND REGENERATION

STRENGTH: 14
STAMINA: 15
ENDURANCE: 14
-
AGILITY: 10
REFLEXES: 8
DEXTERITY: 8
-
INTELLIGENCE: 9
CHARISMA: 10
AWARENESS: 7
-
MANA POOL: NA
MANA RECOVERY: NA
HEALTH: 620
REGENERATION: 370

---------------

EQUIPMENT:
ARMOR: UPPER MID-LEVEL ARMOR
-ARMOR RATING 200
-20% PROTECTION FROM ALL MAGICAL DAMAGE
-PREVENTS THE WEARER FROM BEING PHOTOGRAPHED OR RECORDED BY NON-MAGICAL MEANS

WEAPONS:
WAR CLUB-
-20% ADDITIONAL DAMAGE

SHIELD-
-HIGHLY RESISTANT TO DAMAGE

---------------

SKILLS:

KICKBOXING- RANK 2
-YOU KNOW KICKBOXING. HIGHER LEVELS OF STRENGTH AND DEXTERITY INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS SKILL.

COMPANION 2

NAME: MATTHEW LAWRENCE CORSKEY
GENDER: MALE
AGE: 19
HEALTH: 100%
MANA: NA
STATUS: NO INJURIES, ILLNESSES, OR NEGATIVE STATUS EFFECTS.
SPECIAL ABILITIES: STEALTH- RANK 1

STRENGTH: 11
STAMINA: 11
ENDURANCE: 10
-
AGILITY: 14
REFLEXES: 14
DEXTERITY: 16
-
INTELLIGENCE: 12
CHARISMA: 9
AWARENESS: 11
-
MANA POOL: NA
MANA RECOVERY: NA
HEALTH: 570
REGENERATION: 320

---------------

EQUIPMENT:
ARMOR: UPPER LIGHT ARMOR
-ARMOR RATING 80
-INCREASES EFFECTIVENESS OF STEALTH
-LEAVES NO FOOTPRINTS
-20% PROTECTION FROM ALL MAGICAL DAMAGE
-PREVENTS THE WEARER FROM BEING PHOTOGRAPHED OR RECORDED BY NON-MAGICAL MEANS

WEAPONS:
BLACK DAGGER
-CAUSES TRIPLE DAMAGE WHEN THROWN

PAINTBALL GUN-
-INCREASED RANGE AND ACCURACY

---------------

SKILLS:

KUNG FU- RANK 2
-YOU KNOW KUNG FU. HIGHER LEVELS OF STRENGTH AND DEXTERITY INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS SKILL.

COMPANION 3

NAME: LAUREN MICHELLE GAYLE
GENDER: FEMALE
AGE: 19
HEALTH: 100%
MANA: 100%
STATUS: NO INJURIES, ILLNESSES, OR NEGATIVE STATUS EFFECTS.
SPECIAL ABILITY: LESSER HEALING AND FORCE BLAST.

STRENGTH: 8
STAMINA: 10
ENDURANCE: 9
-
AGILITY: 10
REFLEXES: 9
DEXTERITY: 10
-
INTELLIGENCE: 14
CHARISMA: 12
AWARENESS: 13
-
MANA POOL: 300
MANA RECOVERY: 200
HEALTH: 200
REGENERATION: 100

---------------

EQUIPMENT:

ARMOR: LIGHT ARMOR
-ARMOR RATING 60
-20% PROTECTION FROM ALL MAGICAL DAMAGE
-PREVENTS THE WEARER FROM BEING PHOTOGRAPHED OR RECORDED BY NON-MAGICAL MEANS

---------------

SKILLS:

STAFF FIGHTING- RANK 3
-YOU KNOW HOW TO FIGHT USING A STAFF. HIGHER LEVELS OF STRENGTH AND DEXTERITY INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS SKILL.

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Comments

Awesome!

The story may end, but there sure is room for a sequel!

Ahhhh! It's overrrr!

Ahhhh! It's overrrr! Bravo, Morpheus! A wonderful story! One of your best. As someone who plays DnD and has put ENTIRELY too much time into WoW over the past decade, I enjoyed this one immensely from start to finish. The mechanics of the setting and the game all felt well defined, which really helps with the worldbuilding.

Plus, it leaves the possibility open for spinoffs. A past game, for example? How would the game look in the 70s, when tabletop RPGs were just becoming a thing but before video games? How would it look hundreds or thousands of years ago? A story about one of the first games would be interesting; particularly the one in which Goren and Maelyn's grandfather fought. Kind of an origin story for all of this. And of course, the final scene is quite generously setting up the possibility for a direct sequel, which I know we'd all love should your muse ever decide on it. Regardless of whether you ever do, thank you so much for this story, and keep dreaming.

Once again “the end” appeared

Once again “the end” appeared before I was ready. Your stories never fail to amaze and impress. And, truth to tell, there is room enough for two more series in just the last few paragraphs. You left a LOT of room for our imaginations to fill-in the blanks.
Thank you for such a well crafted story.

Thank you for a very exciting

Thank you for a very exciting and wonderful story. I do hope that sometime in the very near future there will be a sequel or more to this book.
It will indeed be fun to read.

Great conclusion

While I'm sad to see this story end I like that it is set up for sequels.

I'm praying for an Imp story on 4/17 since that's this year's IRS day.

Whateley story schedule

Whateley Academy canon stories are currently released Mondays at 8pm at their site. Most authors who keep presences elsewhere keep their Whateley material exclusive to the Whateley site for at least a week before posting it on other sites (except, apparently, stories outside the Whateley canon, like EE Nalley's Star Wars story last week)

Sad

Great story M! I'm sad that it's over, which is of course the sign of a well spun yarn.

Cheers
Zapper

Some Answers...

...and more to think about. Maelyne and Gorath had a grandfather who got promoted from champion to god, so it's not unprecedented, though it's not instantaneous. (And the "taint" didn't prevent Maelyne from becoming strong enough to have a leadership role among the allies-- though assuming gods at least genetically have a father and mother, only 25% of her immediate ancestry is human.) From the final line of the story, it seems clear -- though a seed and a shard are probably different -- that gods are capable of promoting people beyond champion status without having to die themselves as Maelyne did, though they don't do it very often, and most seeds, we're told, figuratively fall on salted ground and won't evolve. Since Gorath's grandfather was "one of the first" champions, we seem to be looking back a few millennia to him, not just centuries.

Really enjoyable story, though I hope Morpheus will fix all those typos in the pop-ups and status reports, now that we seem to have established that they don't provide a clue to anything. I'm guessing that the spell-checker figured that anything in caps was an acronym and didn't compare it to the vocabulary files.

Still no explanation, though, of where status screens and their changes come from and how they operate, apparently without supervision. For the champions, if not the gods, they seem to be making those improvements, not simply recording them. Alterations in height, intelligence, and some of the other capabilities are coming from somewhere; they can't be explained through practicing as improvements in sword/spear/staff skills and language learning can. I wondered briefly whether the patrons were providing them under strict rules that even the anarchists couldn't circumvent, but it'd be difficult to explain the skill boxes that way.

Good to know that Maelyne's territory is being looked after by someone with no designs on taking it over. But we still don't know what the "people" on it represent, except that they seem to be mortals, if perhaps somewhat long-lived. (I got the impression, perhaps incorrectly, that if Jaeri takes over in a century upon reaching maturity, some people there will still remember Maelyne.) Anyway, they don't ascend to demigod status, and they don't include a genetic heir to Maelyne or, presumably, any god. (Easiest way, if these gods are consistent with other pantheons, to produce a demigod is for a god and a mortal to mate. It didn't happen with Maelyne, apparently.)

Again, thanks very much for the story.

Eric

A very well written story indeed

It had just about everything (except the IMP) going for it.

I can accept that Jaeri may one day rule Maelyne's territory, but I can't imagine her having champions that fight for their lives in the "game" knowing how difficult it was for Jaeri and her companions to survive. Still, I think Morpheus may have posted all those game stats after "THE END" for reason of a further story. I hope.

End of game statistics

I love that we got to see the end game stats. It should be fun to literally compare how far the characters have progressed since this began.

Did we ever find out costs and levels for Lauren's Focus Blast and Lesser Healing?

Open Letter to Morpheus

I suspect this story was a bit of an experiment, if so I loved both the format and the story, I don't know if you read my logs but this and other stories have kept me alive and fighting through my stroke recovery, Thank you. I write this laying on my back looking over my laptop keyboard sideways. I have heard mention of Morpheus Yahoo site, I am definitely your fan. I wonder if I might get an invite?

No invitation required

But to be honest, there really isn't much posted there. He posts serial chapters here at the same time they are posted there these days and the group doesn't really see much activity otherwise. A lot of that energy seems to go toward his Whateley contributions recently, which are posted at WhateleyAcademy.net first but eventually make their way here after a week or so.

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Morpheuscabinet2/info

Sequel?

OK, with that ending, a sequel is not necessary, but it still would be very nice.

Is JAERIE'S Spear just a typo? She is JAERI just a few lines above.

Also, SUMMON CAMPANION RANK 1 was good for 100 meters, so RANK 3 should have longer range.

Thank you very much for this story. I found it to be one of your best.

It's not a typo

WillowD's picture

In this chapter it says "my weapon had changed from being listed as ‘Maelyne’s spear’ to being ‘Jaeri’s spear’." It's one of the first indications that Jaeri is taking over Maelyne's role as the Goddess of loyalty.

There is a typo

In story it is "Jaeri's Spear" but in the final stat breakdowns following the end it is listed as "JAERIE'S SPEAR" in her inventory.

Lovely epilogue

Jaeri will be a force in the games even before she attains full goddesshood.

She will at some point be almost as powerful as a god in a meat body.

I don’t think she is obligated to participate in the games but no doubt do so for Cassandra’s sake.

Remember

The last line? And with that, Aremestia turned from the pool and prepared for the task ahead of her. She had a very important seed to plant.
Now where do you suppose Armestia might be planting said seed!?
I think that someone is in for a very nice surprise if Morpheus writes a sequel to this.

Nice Surprise

My5InchFMHeels's picture

I gotta wonder who will be the recipient of that "Nice Surprise". Will Jaeri receive a version of Cassandra's or will Cassandra receive "Jerry Tanner's" surprise? That could be interesting.

I don't think it makes sense

Why would Armestia make anyone other than her champion her heir? Especially when she directly refers to her as she is preparing?

What I Understood....

What I took that to mean (supported by her previous musings) is that Armestia was going to bless Cassandra with her greater blessing, a divine spark (a sliver of her essence (the seed)), as Maelyne had blessed Jaeri. It would then be up to Cassandra (with Armestia's guidance) as it will be up to Jaeri (with Gorath's guidance) to grow into the roles that Aremestia envisions for them. After all: "Their romance warmed her heart, and she wanted to see it last for a very long time to come."

Morpheus: Again, thank you for sharing this story. It has been a wildly entertaining and exciting ride with a very satisfying ending. And (maybe) the hope of more?

An outstanding story........

D. Eden's picture

And one ripe for a sequel!

I hope we get to see more of Jaeri and company.

D

D. Eden

Dum Vivimus, Vivamus

Full Fun Ride

terrynaut's picture

I found this story to be enjoyable from beginning to end. I hope to see a sequel at some point. I'd like to see more of Jaeri and Cassandra.

Thanks very much. Thanks and kudos (number 140).

- Terry

Great ending.

Great ending to this story. Though I really wish this story will continue again someday.

awesome ending

loved it.

DogSig.png

Like many others

My5InchFMHeels's picture

Saddened to see the tale come to a close! Happy to see that it's VERY open ended. I would love to see a sequel to this one, probably more than any other story by Morpheus.... sans The White Lady (Even that it's too close to choose between).

Just as long as

Morpheus keeps writing the Imp I'll be happy!

Thus the seeds of the new order have been sowed.

Beoca's picture

I hope to see a sequel to this featuring Jaeri, Garoth, and the remainder of what conflict occurs. The enemy can't wait too long, or Jaeri will unlock more of her divinity and power.

Sequel

Can we have the sequel now please there are so many loose ends. I’m sad Maelyne can’t be brought back, at the very least Jaeri is a fitting daughter for her. If I’m understanding this right she won’t crossover until her mortal life is over or something.

hugs :)
Michelle SidheElf Amaianna

Although the battle is done FOR NOW

Samantha Heart's picture

It looks as if things could pick up again in time. I HOPE Aremestia's gift DOES find firtle ground & takes root like Meline''s did. I think it will as Consanda & Jaeri are quite in love with each other & it's that love that will make Aremestia gift blossom in Consandra.

Please do a book 2 of this wonderful story.

Love Samantha Renée Heart.

A piece in the game of the Gods

Morpheus,
You are a writer that creates such a problem for me, and I am sure for many of us. You create stories to get us involved almost from the very beginning, you give their characters a depth and that allows this to either love or hate them but in any rate get emotionally involved. And then you have the nerve to end this story, nevermind that it might have had the ending we are either surprised by or hope for, but the very fact that our adventure with these characters has ended is sad.

You are such a talent.... And a gift to us all.
Thank you for another great story.
I consider A piece in the game of the God to be one of your best works.

Willow

Willow

A piece in the game of the Gods

Morpheus,
You are a writer that creates such a problem for me, and I am sure for many of us. You create stories that pull us in and get us involved almost from the very beginning. You give their characters a depth that allows us to either love or hate them but in any rate get emotionally involved. And then you have the nerve to end this story, nevermind that it might have had the ending we are either surprised by or hope for, but the very fact that our adventure with these characters has ended is sad.

You are such a talent.... And a gift to us all.
Thank you for another great story.
I consider A piece in the game of the God to be one of your best works.

Willow

Willow

A Morpheus Tale

BarbieLee's picture

Anyone one who has read the great stories this truly renown author posts, would know those three words means better than excellent telling of a story. It is unnecessary to say this author weaves his stories with the artistic talents of one who can pull the reader into the story along with all his heroes and heroines. Think of the finest tapestry designs ever woven into a work of art. How the weaver instinctively knows what her artistry will look like as she pulls through each thread of different color. This is how I imagine Morpheus spins his stories. Each character, each action, each dialog brings us closer to the final outcome of a well scripted tale.

Saying well done is kinda redundant but I said it anyway.
Have fun with life, it's too short to take seriously
always
Barb

Oklahoma born and raised cowgirl

Kr’aethar

Kr’aethar has been severely damaged, and put into prison. It is stated that he will not cause problems for several centuries. Somehow, this strikes me as an overly optimistic statement; it is all too reminiscent of sticking a captured supervillain in an asylum, and then being surprised when he gets free some time later to provide a plot for the the next installment of whatever comic is appropriate.

Yes, they should’ve killed him too

Now Kr’aethar may get broken out of prison by the other anarchists.

There is the unanswered question of how an injured god recharges/regains power so even if he breaks out, how powerful will he be?

As powerful as the author needs him!

The strength of an god newly escaped from prison is exactly as strong as the author needs him to be. Since we have no information, except for a gods opinion that he will not be a problem, anything the author does here would be fair.

Supervillain

Aine Sabine's picture

Yah, I agree, how many times did Nevermore come back to life in the Legacy series. And how many developed villains did the Key bust out of Mount Prometheus.
I have to say, I really would like a sequel.

Also this story is going to be added to my own personal archive. Eventually all my archive will be made in to leather bound books for my personal shelf.

Aine

Problems with the ending stats

In Jaeri stats, the value for REGENERATION is 536.
At the end of chapter 37, it is 390. Then, in chapter 43, after the death of Arakthiel's host, Jaeri has 300 resource attribute points to allocate. In chapter 44, she splits these between health and regeneration. If the split is equal, this is 150 for each attribute which puts regeneration to 540. But maybe the split was not equal...

In Lauren EQUIPMENT, the WEAPON is not mentioned. From chapter 40, it should be
WEAPON: STAFF
-ABILITIES COST 10% LESS MANA

I did these verifications because I liked the story very much. Thank you Morpheus for a very entertaining story.

Deen

Changes in final revision

I didn't check the numbers, but it seems Morpheus spent quite some time completing a final edit before posting it to Fictionmania. It seems to correct a lot of typos that have been pointed out over the course of the story, as well as flesh out the final statistics to include companion equipment.

Two to be groomed

Jamie Lee's picture

Leave it to Cassandra to put Jaeri into an outfit which gets her motor running. And will surely do the same to the males at the Halloween party. Her looks will start many motors, so she might want to dial back her chrisma.

If they thought the competitions were exciting, or battling the host bodies, then when Aremestia drops her bomb, both Jaeri and Cassandra are going to be dumb founded. Both are going to find it hard to believe they both may become replacement gods after some time. After they've been mentored.

This is another story which held my interest from beginning to end. It is a story which made me want to read the next chapter in order to discover what problems, or activities, the main characters encountered.

Even though this is fantasy with respect to the gods, the main characters seemed life like, ordinary people finding themselves in extrondinary situations. And dealing with it the best they can.

As I've said in a few other stories, it was well worth the time to read a very engaging story.

Others have feelings too.

Ahh well done!

Another great story!! Well done and a great ending leaving it open for another story and more growth. Would love to see you continue this one as well as most of the other stories I've read of yours. :)

Thanks for taking the time to put pen to paper so to speak and giving us this great story!

:)

You have to be yourself! You're the only one who can be...

~Jessi

A thrillinng saga

from the master of such things. I will read a phone book if Morpheus authors it!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing this and your other wonderful tales and for sharing them with us. Yours is a rare talent, a great gift and sharing it just makes it all the more precious.

Catherine Linda Michel

As a T-woman, I do have a Y chromosome... it's just in cursive, pink script. Y_0.jpg